


call out my name when i kiss you so gently.

by BobaAddict



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Career Change, Coming of Age, Existentialism, First Meetings, Goodbyes, Growing Up Together, Implied Sexual Content, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Morning After, Post-High School, Slow Burn, Weddings, how slow? well it takes about a decade, nothing nsfw! it's just Floyd being a perv for about two seconds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 07:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28347399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BobaAddict/pseuds/BobaAddict
Summary: Ten years that Riddle knows Floyd. Ten times that Floyd calls Riddle by his real name.(Or, a look into Riddle and Floyd's most formative years, from when they're 16 to when they're 25.)
Relationships: Floyd Leech/Riddle Rosehearts
Comments: 84
Kudos: 184





	1. 16.

“Congratulations on securing your spot as Dorm Head, Riddle-san.”

Riddle Rosehearts looks up from putting his books in his school bag. History class with Mozus Trein has just ended, and he’s eager to head off to the cafeteria. It’s past noon, much later than he’s used to eating lunch, but despite his hunger, he still acknowledges the classmate addressing him. After all, rule number 20 of Her Highness, the Queen of Hearts, dictates that one must always heed the word of whoever’s speaking, no matter what—with the only exception being if the speaker is a rule-breaker making excuses for themselves.

He finds himself having to hold his head quite high to meet the eyes of the other party: a teenager with teal hair accentuated by a long, black bang hanging off the side of his face. With his impressive height and his straight standing posture, the still-sitting, admittedly-not-nearly-as-tall Riddle feels like he’s straining his neck just by looking at him.

“Jade Leech,” he greets, having memorized all of his peers’ names by the end of the first day of school. It would have been unbecoming had he not done so. “Thank you. I suppose word travels fast?”

“Of course. The entire school is talking about it.” Jade places a hand on his heart, closing his eyes in thought. “For a first-year to usurp the position from his upperclassman only a week into the year… It’s very impressive. I couldn’t help but want to congratulate you on such an outstanding feat.”

Riddle’s not sure how he feels about being the newest subject of gossip on campus. He only challenged the previous Dorm Head to a magic duel because he didn’t like how openly he was disregarding the rules of Her Highness, the Queen of Hearts. Shouldn’t someone in a leadership position take that sort of thing more seriously? What good are rules if no one is going to uphold them?

He opts to let Jade know that. “Once again, thank you, but I didn’t do it to appear ‘impressive’ to others. I just couldn’t stand by and watch him undermine Heartslabyul and its order any longer.”

Jade’s eyes widen for a moment like he’s surprised at how open Riddle is. He recovers quickly, however; his smile returns, and he chuckles. “I see. A stickler for the rules, are you not?”

Riddle finds himself bristling at that, but the other boy continues before he can properly retort.

“That is not an insult.” Jade opens his eyes again, and for the first time, Riddle notices that they don’t reflect his smile. “I have a close friend who also values organization. He himself is aiming to become Octavinelle’s Dorm Head eventually, and he has promised to appoint me as Vice Dorm Head whenever that happens. I’m sure he would appreciate any pointers you may offer, so he can… achieve his goal sooner.”

“...I’ll pass,” Riddle says slowly, not liking the way Jade’s outright grinning by now, revealing an entire row of sharp teeth. He has a hunch there’s something underneath that polite exterior, and he’s not sure he wants to open himself up to that. “If he really wants to be Dorm Head, then he should work for it himself. He must show to everyone that he’s capable of leading them without any outside help.”

Jade closes his mouth, his expression falling back to something more neutral. “I see.” If he’s disappointed that Riddle has refused him, he doesn’t show it. “Well, thank you, anyway. I’m sorry to have kept you—”

“Jaaaaade! What’s taking you so long?”

A loud, shrill voice cuts through their conversation, almost causing Riddle to jump out of his seat in surprise. He turns in the direction of the interruption, ready to chide whoever it is for so rudely butting in, only for his words to melt on his tongue when he’s greeted with the sight of a second Jade.

Or, no, that is perhaps inaccurate. Sure, the individual standing in the doorway looks like the mirror image of Jade, but all signs indicate that this is a different person entirely. Between the unironed shirt and the lack of a tie, his school uniform is clearly a lot messier, as if he overslept in the morning and threw it on in five seconds to avoid being late to class. His mismatched eyes droop lazily in contrast to Jade’s sharp ones, and he’s wearing a pout, not unlike one of a petulant child.

If Jade represents orderliness and tranquility, this one seems to represent chaos and madness. At least, just based on looks. He gets the sense that there’s nothing tranquil or orderly about Jade Leech.

“Floyd…” Jade sighs with a mix of exasperation and affection. “I told you to wait outside.”

“You were taking too long, and I got bored.” The lookalike—Floyd—waltzes into the classroom and approaches them, and it’s only then that Riddle notices that everyone else, even Trein, has already left. “C’mon, I’m hungry! The small fry are gonna take all the good stuff!”

“Ah, forgive me. I suppose I got a little sidetracked.” Jade’s eyes return to Riddle, offering a look of apology. “Pardon the intrusion, Riddle-san. This is my twin, Floyd.”

_Twins._ Of course. He should’ve realized that instead of automatically considering that Jade somehow had the same unique magic as his upperclassman Cater. After all, there’s no way that any version of Jade would act so sloppily, right?

Floyd’s face lights up in realization. “ ** _Riddle_**? You mean, the one who became Dorm Head a week into school?” He bends down as if to examine Riddle more closely, and the latter can’t help but fidget at the looming presence. “That’s you? Wooow, you’re smaller than I expected.”

Riddle’s jaw drops, and his voice returns to him in an instant. “Excuse me?!”

Floyd nods like he didn’t just spout the most offensive thing. “Yeah! I was expecting this real huge guy, sorta like those guys from Savanaclaw? Heartslabyul’s old Dorm Head isn’t that short, so I didn’t think someone who looked like you could beat him! That’s so interesting~”

Riddle feels his face heat up more and more with each word coming out of Floyd’s mouth. “You… How dare you?!” He looks to Jade for help. Jade, in return, shows no indication that he’s about to defend him from his brother. “Do you know who you’re talking to?!”

“Ehhh? 'Course I do.” Floyd crosses his arms, and he smiles. “Didn’t I just say that you beat the old Dorm Head?”

“That was rhetorical!”

“Haha, your face is so red,” Floyd laughs. “You’re small and red… like a goldfish! You’re so funny, looking at me like that~”

“Are you even listening to me?!” Riddle swears he’s about to blow a fuse. “Jade, what are you doing?! Are you just going to stand by and let him treat me this way?!”

“My apologies,” Jade speaks up, though it’s clear he’s not apologetic at all. “Come now, Floyd, we must go to the cafeteria. If we hurry, we might still be able to get that sandwich you were interested in.”

“Oh, right!” Floyd turns to leave as Jade begins to make his way to the door, but he can’t help but shoot one last amused look at Riddle. “You’re really funny, Goldfish. Hope to see you again soon~”

Riddle almost decapitates him for that, but he and Jade are too quick. They’re out of sight before the new Dorm Head can take his magical pen out of his breast pocket.

_What an ill-mannered student!_ he fumes as he resumes putting away his things. Though the interaction ended rather quickly, he still can’t help the fury building up in the pit of his stomach. He feels relieved that Jade’s the one that’s his classmate because although there’s definitely something fishy about him, he’s at least decent enough to treat him with the respect he deserves.

Or maybe not, considering how he just let Floyd say all of that until Riddle called him out. Still, it’s not like his classmate blatantly looks down on him, so his point still stands.

He just hopes that, contrary to Floyd’s wishes, he does _not_ see him again any time soon. Or, if not that, he gets reprimanded by his brother about basic social etiquette, so he doesn’t demean him like that ever again. He’s not sure he can handle four years of Night Raven College with a sound mind if this is what he has to put up with.

But Floyd neither leaves him alone nor gains a better sense of how to treat others, not the next time they meet, not the next time after that, and definitely not the next time after _that_. And for the next few years of his life, Riddle is forced to put up with it, to do his best to survive someone who quickly becomes the bane of his school life.

To think that the student who became Dorm Head a week after entering Night Raven College can so easily be brought down with one single, stupid nickname.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this manifested in my head not even 24 hours earlier. why am i doing this to myself


	2. 17.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Goldfish.”
> 
> Riddle snaps out of it and refocuses on Floyd, who, at this point, has his upper body lying on the table, staring up at him with an uncharacteristic amount of sincerity in his features. He pushes down the instinct to reprimand him for his lack of manners. “What…?”
> 
> “Nothing~ Just thinking you’re a super hard worker,” Floyd smiles. “It’s sorta amazing. You really care that much about what happens to other people?”
> 
> Riddle sputters. “Of course I do! As a Dorm Head, it’s only natural!”
> 
> “Ahaaa, but you don’t really hafta push yourself that much, you know~? Sometimes, things just happen, and you can’t do anything about it.” Floyd sits up, but his eyes never leave the other’s. “Just focus on being **_Riddle_**. And **_Riddle’s_** allowed to fall short sometimes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no I am not promising to upload daily, but considering I wrote this and chapter 1 in one go, why not

If someone were to ask Riddle to describe his short life in one word, his answer would be, “eventful.” His mother frets over every single aspect of his life. His father lets her. One of his childhood friends is a cat that likes to make his entire body aside from his head invisible. And that isn’t even going into all the things that have happened at Night Raven College since he started attending.

There’s how he became Dorm Head a week into his first year, obviously, but in his opinion, things only started spiraling in his second year. He spent those first few days in a conflict with Ace and Deuce (mostly Ace), which culminated in his Overblot. Then, he got himself involved in that ridiculous incident where Leona Kingscholar thought it was a good idea to injure members of the other dorms for a better shot at winning the inter-dorm Magical Shift tournament., which somehow escalated into another Overblot incident.

He realized the inanity of it all when word got out about Azul Ashengrotto, but what finally pushed him over the edge was Jamil Viper. Seriously, what’s going on with this school and its students…?

It’s why he’s here in the library now, searching for as many books on magic use as possible. He has an entire stack of them ready at his seat, but he’s still not satisfied. There have to be more, and he won’t miss them if he can help himself.

He’s standing on a stepladder, peering at the highest row of one particular bookshelf, zeroing in on a book with the title _The Science of Blotting: Why Some Magic is Riskier Than Others_ on its spine. Thinking it may be useful, he reaches for it—

—but just before his hand is able to grab ahold of it, another one beats him to the punch. He looks to see who it is that has claimed the book, and he’s barely able to hold back a grimace when he recognizes them.

_Floyd._

“You’re at the library again, Goldfish?” Floyd grins as he casually rests his hand against the book, forbidding Riddle from obtaining it. “You’re always here, aren’t you?”

Riddle ignores him. Instead of giving him the time of day, he descends the stepladder empty-handed with a sigh.

“Huh? Goldfish!” Floyd’s smile disappears, and his eyebrows furrow in confusion when Riddle starts walking away from him. “Where are you going?”

“I have no time to entertain you today,” the shorter of the two replied curtly without skipping a beat. “If I try to get the book from you, you’d just make me chase you down for it. It’s what you always do.”

“Whaaat? Don’t you need it, though?” Floyd pulls the book off of the shelf and rushes to catch up with Riddle. Which isn’t hard at all, given how long his legs are. As he follows closely behind him, he adds, “How are you gonna do homework without it?”

“It’s not homework. And I have other books to go through first.”

“Wh—” They near Riddle’s seat, and Floyd almost drops the book when he sees the scene before him. “Goldfish, that stack’s taller than _you_!”

“There is no need to use me as an object of comparison!” Riddle snaps and sits down in his chair. He takes the book at the top of the stack and flips it open to the index. “Leave me be, I’m about to study. And put that book back where it came from, so I can use it later.”

For the first time, Floyd looks down at the book in his hands and silently reads the title. His eyes widen when it sinks in, and he quickly moves to sit opposite Riddle at the table. “You’re reading about Blotting?”

Riddle doesn’t respond. He just locates the “B” section of the index and starts searching for his keyword.

“Why? That’s first-year stuff. We learned this months ago.”

“But does anyone actually understand the concept?” he retorted against his better judgment. “You make it sound like we haven’t already had four Overblots since the school year started. If students actually took Blotting seriously, we wouldn’t have had any cases at all!”

Floyd shuts up for once. The book he took sits on his lap as he watches Riddle locate the “Blotting” entry in the index and flip to the respective page. However, he doesn’t stay quiet for long, and the next question out of his mouth is a blunt, “Weren’t _you_ the first case?”

Riddle visibly flinches. “Y-you don’t need to remind me! I didn’t say I was any better than everyone else on the issue!”

Floyd hums when he hears that. “I still don’t get why you’re studying about it though. What’s it gonna do? It’s not gonna stop anyone from going into Overblot in the future if you’re the only one reading up on it.”

“But maybe I can do a better job of stopping them before it’s too late!” Riddle argues. “Maybe someone just needs to discover a more effective way to prevent stuff like this from happening, and…” He deflates. “And maybe then, people like you and I can have a more peaceful second year.”

“‘Peaceful’ is boring,” Floyd says with zero hesitation. “I like it when unexpected stuff happens.”

“That’s—!”

“But Overblots are so much trouble,” he continues with a scowl before Riddle can misunderstand his feelings on the matter. “Sea Snake knocked everyone to the middle of nowhere when that happened to him. Me and Jade had to take everyone and swim back, and it made me really tired.”

Riddle’s not sure he understands a word of the scenario Floyd’s explaining to him, but he decides to not question it. He thinks he gets the idea, which is what really matters. “You were there during Jamil’s Overblot?” he asks instead. He already knew that Jamil was another victim, but it’s only now that he finds out that the Leech twins were there at the time.

“Yeah. His hair was a bunch of snakes. He looked like a weirdo.”

“I honestly thought you’d enjoy that sort of thing,” Riddle admits, though it sounds stupid now that he’s saying it out loud. He supposes even someone like Floyd can understand the gravity of a situation like that. “It’s like you said. You don’t like it when everything’s peace and quiet.”

Floyd’s frown deepens. “Huh? No way. Overblots are super lame. You didn’t see what Azul was like, but he was really bad.”

“‘Lame,’ huh…” Riddle stares down at the open book in front of him.

Yeah, that’s one word to describe it. It’s not like he remembers what really occurred during his own Overblot, but he has no doubt that he humiliated himself then. It’s been months since it happened, and he’s almost certain everyone else has pushed it to the back of their minds, but it still haunts him deeply. Though he’d never admit it out loud, let alone to Floyd of all people, he knows that there’s a part of him that only wants to study up on Blotting to make up for his own wrongdoings. Not only did he allow himself to succumb to his own magic, but he also wasn’t able to stop Leona from going through the same thing. He wants—no, _needs_ —to atone for that. As long as he’s a student here, he refuses to let it happen to anybody else.

“Goldfish.”

Riddle snaps out of it and refocuses on Floyd, who, at this point, has his upper body lying on the table, staring up at him with an uncharacteristic amount of sincerity in his features. He pushes down the instinct to reprimand him for his lack of manners. “What…?”

“Nothing~ Just thinking you’re a super hard worker,” Floyd smiles. “It’s sorta amazing. You really care that much about what happens to other people?”

Riddle sputters. “Of course I do! As a Dorm Head, it’s only natural!”

“Ahaaa, but you don’t really hafta push yourself that much, you know~? Sometimes, things just happen, and you can’t do anything about it.” Floyd sits up, but his eyes never leave the other’s. “Just focus on being **_Riddle_**. And **_Riddle’s_** allowed to fall short sometimes.”

Riddle stiffens at the way his name rolls off of Floyd’s tongue, and he realizes now just how odd it is to hear him refer to him by something other than “Goldfish.” Does Floyd feel similarly strange about it? If he does, he hides it well.

“What’s with you all of a sudden?” Riddle asks when he gets a hold of himself. “You’re being so serious. It’s not like you.”

Floyd stretches his arms up above his head with a yawn. “Just felt like saying it. Anyway, I’m bored now.” He grabs _The Science of Blotting_ from his lap and holds it out to Riddle with a straight face. “Here ya go.”

Riddle blinks dumbly. “What?”

“You wanted this, didn’t you?” Floyd waves it slightly, almost like he’s impatient for Riddle to take it from him. “It’s not like I have any use for it.”

Riddle hesitates, looking back and forth between him and the book, absolutely confused at the sudden offer. After what has felt like ages and ages of torment, he never would have imagined that Floyd Leech—childish, selfish, annoying Floyd Leech—would ever have been capable of something as minimal as giving back something that he stole. He doesn’t move for a few seconds as he ponders if he’s being tricked, but when he sees how earnest Floyd’s expression is, he gives in and extends a hand out for it.

Before he knows it, Floyd pulls it away from him and swipes the open book out from under him. “Just kidding~!” he laughs.

“Wh—” Riddle’s face heats up when he realizes he’s been duped. _He should’ve known._ “Give me that!”

“You’ll hafta catch me first!” Floyd taunts happily, running away with both books in his possession. “Let’s play tag! You’re ‘It’!”

Riddle’s hands ball into fists, and he stares down at the surface of the table. The sound of Floyd’s cackles echoing across the entire library is enough to make his body tremble in anger. How could he have been so idiotic to think _for one second_ that Floyd actually took a hint for once…?

After all, this is how it always goes. Riddle swears to himself to never get caught up in Floyd’s antics, but it happens anyway because Floyd is able to get under his skin in a way that no one else can. The merman is far more cunning than he lets on at first glance, and the Dorm Head is a far bigger fool.

_God, I’m stupid._

Riddle slams his hands on the table and bolts upright from his chair. As much as he doesn’t want to do this, he wants his books back. Giving chase, he lets out a yell uncalled for in a quiet setting such as this library:

_“Floyd!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> based on that one chapter in the official anthology (which you can read [here](https://mangadex.org/title/58221/disney-twisted-wonderland-comic-anthology)!), in case you couldn't tell
> 
> also vil overblots sometime after this. gg riddle, you failed


	3. 18.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He can barely see anything at this point. Despite his words, he knows he’s losing consciousness, but he refuses to give in so easily.
> 
> Unsurprisingly, Floyd ignores his pleas, just like he always has. Shifting his arms under Riddle’s body to pick him up and carry him, he frantically calls out, “Goldfish, hang in there!”
> 
> Whatever retort Riddle has on his tongue dies before it has a chance to be said. When he feels himself being lifted up off the ground, he tries to squirm and escape, but he doesn’t even last a second before he passes out in Floyd’s arms.
> 
> “Goldfish?”
> 
> “Goldfish?!”
> 
> “ ** _Riddle_**!”

Before he knows it, Riddle’s time at NRC is over halfway done. The first few weeks of his third year have kept him busy, so much so that he feels like it’s only been a couple of days since the term started; not only does he have to deal with all of his classwork, but it’s been especially grueling overseeing Heartslabyul, now that Trey isn’t by his side. His childhood friend, now a fourth-year, is often off conducting research outside of campus, and though he did permit Riddle to appoint someone else as Vice Dorm Head in his stead, the latter hasn’t really had the heart to do so just yet. Besides, he’s unsure if there’s any viable candidate that can properly replace Trey, to begin with.

Yet, maybe it would be the wise decision to find a substitute, nonetheless. Since it’s the beginning of the year, and a fresh wave of first-years have now been sorted into the dorm, Riddle’s had to devote much of his time to helping them adjust, teaching them all 810 rules, and keeping them in line.

That last one is especially tough, however.

They had an Unbirthday Party two days ago, yet it was somehow an even bigger disaster than that one time during his second year. Firstly, the cake was awful, since Trey wasn’t there to take over baking duty. Next up, the flamingos escaped to the lounge and made a mess of the area, and though the other dorm members did help in cleaning everything up, Riddle spent that entire night examining for any potential loose ends. In the end, he got roughly four hours of sleep.

Then, just yesterday, he had tutoring sessions with two different dorm members—one was a first-year, and the other was a certain second-year with blue hair whom Riddle does his best not to judge—that left him feeling rather exhausted, given his lack of decent sleep. Afterward, he spent the rest of his free time holed up in his room, working on Crewel’s alchemy project due by the end of the week. Only finishing when it was long past midnight, he leapt into bed, eager to get as much rest as he could before he had to wake in the morning.

Unfortunately, some fool decided it was a good idea to have some instant noodles at 4:00 AM. Apparently not really understanding the inner workings of a microwave, he set off the annoyingly loud fire alarm, woke everyone else up, and forced them to evacuate the building as they waited for the fire truck to arrive.

One inspection (and one decapitation) later, Riddle found that he couldn’t fall back asleep. The echo of the fire alarm’s blare, his annoyance at the whole situation, and his overall stress prevented him from dozing off again.

All of that has led him here. To this bench. In the courtyard.

God, he feels like a total zombie.

Somehow, he’s managed to get through all of his classes for the day, but any pride he’d otherwise feel about this achievement is replaced by an overwhelming urge to sleep. He’s too exhausted to even bother making his way back to Heartslabyul, so this bench will have to do. Leaning back against it, he closes his eyes and already feels himself beginning to drift off—

“Goldfish!”

Just his luck.

Riddle doesn’t even attempt to suppress the irritated growl that escapes his lips. He senses Floyd standing right behind him, pulling on the two loose strands of hair on the top of his head.

“Ahaaa, you look like a rabbit this way!”

“Now, now, Floyd,” Jade chuckles next to his twin. “Perhaps you should wait for him to greet you back before you start playing with him.”

Now, in all honesty, Floyd doesn’t really bother Riddle that much anymore. Has he just gotten used to his antics, as annoying as they are? Or has the merman gotten a little bored after two long years of torment, so he’s dialed it back a bit? The most likely answer is a little bit of both, but that doesn’t really matter, because right now, sleep deprivation and general impatience is making Riddle feel the same way he felt when Floyd started pestering him during their first year together.

“Get off of me,” he snapped, though he doesn’t turn around.

“Ehhh, what’s the matter with you, Goldfish?” Floyd is quick to pick up on Riddle’s foul mood, but it doesn’t deter him in the slightest. “Don’t be mean and play with me~”

“Declined.” Slapping Floyd’s hands away from his head, Riddle moves to stand and get away from him and Jade. “I’m not your toy. Now, goodbye.”

He rises, but he’s overcome by a sudden wave of dizziness. He stumbles and almost falls flat on his face, relieved that he manages to catch himself before it’s too late.

“Hehehe~ Goldfish is flopping, haha!”

“Shut up!”

It’s only now that he realizes how utterly fatigued he is. The world has denied him the sleep to which he’s entitled multiple times, and, well… he’s completely unprepared for it. His mother always ensured that he got his full eight to ten hours of sleep, a habit that he’s kept up ever since coming to this school. And that isn’t even mentioning how he’s been spending every waking moment during the past 48 hours devoting the remainder of his energy to his tasks.

With those factors in mind, it’s no wonder that his body shuts down.

The next thing he knows, he’s lying face down in the grass, and it’s eerily quiet, devoid of the incessant laughter that filled his ears just moments ago. It takes him even longer to notice that… _Oh. He’s fallen, after all._

“...Goldfish?” Floyd utters from behind the bench. He almost sounds concerned, but Riddle knows better than to expect that from him.

“Shut up,” he hisses again, but this time, it comes out much more weakly. He tries to get up, but his arms give out from under him. He feels even woozier than he did before, and he realizes with dread that his vision is fading fast. “I’m… fine…”

This time, it’s Jade’s voice that he hears, every word sounding closer than the last. “We must get him to the nurse’s office immediately.”

“No, don’t.” Out of what can only be described as unnecessary stubbornness, Riddle spends the last of his strength trying to swat Jade’s—or Floyd’s?—hands away from him. “I can make it back…”

He can barely see anything at this point. Despite his words, he knows he’s losing consciousness, but he refuses to give in so easily.

Unsurprisingly, Floyd ignores his pleas, just like he always has. Shifting his arms under Riddle’s body to pick him up and carry him, he frantically calls out, “Goldfish, hang in there!”

Whatever retort Riddle has on his tongue dies before it has a chance to be said. When he feels himself being lifted up off the ground, he tries to squirm and escape, but he doesn’t even last a second before he passes out in Floyd’s arms.

“Goldfish?”

“Goldfish?!”

“ ** _Riddle_**!”

After who knows how long, Riddle stirs and opens his eyes. He quickly realizes the ceiling he’s gazing up at isn’t the one in his room, and it’s enough to confuse him for a moment. Where is he…? He glances to one side and only sees a white wall. He turns to the other side and is startled by what—or _whom_ —he sees.

“Trey…?”

“Wh… Riddle!” Trey practically throws down the notepad he’s studying once he sees that his childhood friend is awake. “Are you okay?!”

“Uh… I think so.” Riddle’s even more perplexed now. What’s Trey doing here? If he recalls correctly, he shouldn’t have been back until next week. “Why are you…”

Trey doesn’t let him finish that question, presumably because he doesn’t want him to waste any energy asking. “Jade called me. He said you lost consciousness,” he explains. “You’re in the nurse’s office right now.”

Finally, it all comes rushing back to Riddle. How he collapsed, how Floyd and Jade rushed to his aid, how he blacked out just as Floyd picked him up… The memory’s enough to make him jolt upright in bed, but Trey quickly leans over and pushes him back down. He knows better than to resist.

“It’s okay,” Trey reassures him, noticing the way he tenses up under his touch. “Just rest.”

“How… how long have I been here?”

“A little over an hour. I got here around thirty minutes ago.” Trey lets go of him and slowly sits back down, almost like he’s wary that Riddle will leap out of bed and make a run for it. “Floyd really didn’t want to leave you alone with me, though. Jade had to convince him.”

Riddle was… not expecting that. “What…?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that worried,” Trey laughs a little despite the situation. “He said you looked dead.”

Well, that’s a pleasant image. Still, Riddle is taken aback. Not only is a worried Floyd a totally foreign concept in his mind, but he was also worried over _him_? That can’t be right. Trey must be mistaken. He must be.

...Mustn’t he be? As much as logic is screaming at Riddle that _Floyd_ and _worry_ are just an impossible combination, he’d be lying if he said that he didn’t believe it. Perhaps his memory is inaccurate, but he remembers the merman sounding utterly panic-stricken when he fell to the ground. Did he merely imagine that? Trey’s claim prompts him to suspect that he didn’t, but it’s hard to picture, regardless. After two years of teasing and ridicule, he finds it difficult to imagine anything else coming from him.

“But aside from that, there’s something more important I want to talk about.” Trey’s expression transforms into one much sterner, and Riddle instantly knows what he’s referring to. “For you to pass out like that… What exactly have you been up to?”

“I…” Riddle fidgets under his gaze. He decides he’s incapable of lying to Trey. “I’ve been busying myself for the past couple of days, and… I guess I haven’t gotten that much sleep, as a result.”

“Sure, but it wouldn’t have been like _this_ —” Trey gestures at the bed he’s lying on. “—if that was all there was to it.”

Riddle winces. “Well, it… wouldn’t be wrong to say that I’ve been busy in general. You know, since the year started.” Fiddling with his fingers, he added, “The stress might have… gotten the better of me, between classes and supervising Heartslabyul on my own.”

“Riddle…” Trey sighs. “I told you it was okay to replace me. There’s a reason the position of Vice Dorm Head exists.”

“I know.” Riddle can’t bear to look him in the eye. He feels like a complete idiot for allowing things to get to this point. “I just… I don't know if there’s anyone that can do what you did. It’s been an adjustment without you around.”

Hearing that, Trey’s eyes soften. He sighs again, but this time, it sounds much fonder than the previous one. “Yeah, I miss doing all of that with you, too.”

“Yet, it’s not either of our faults. It’s just the way our school works.”

“It is,” Trey agrees, bending down to pick his notepad off of the floor. It’s only now that Riddle realizes it’s probably full of entries on his research. “This is one of those times that I wish we were in the same year. Still, I’d rather watch from the sidelines than see you like this.”

“I’m sorry for interrupting what you were doing.”

“No, no, you don’t have to apologize. I wasn’t that far from campus, anyway.” He smiles down at Riddle, who only now comprehends just how much he’s missed him. “Once you’re feeling up for it, let’s head back to the dorm and talk things out some more. I can stay the night, but I’ll probably have to leave first thing in the morning. Does that sound good?”

Riddle doesn’t even have to think about it before he nods. Trey will never not be a welcome presence, no matter if he sees him every day or only on occasion. He considers himself lucky for having such a precious friend, one that would drop everything just to see if he’s okay, and in his mind, he swears to repay the favor by not allowing something like this to happen to him again. The first thing he’ll do once he gets time to himself is think about who could fill the role as Vice Dorm Head, because it just won’t do if Trey’s shadow is the only thing that occupies it. It’s about high time that he stops relying on him, after all.

As he continues to plan his next move, he remembers at some point he needs to thank Floyd and Jade. Before today, he never would have thought that he’d actually owe the twins gratitude of all things, but here he is, resting in the nurse’s office with Trey by his side because of them. As wary of them as he is, he can’t help but consider that they helped him not out of some debt creation, but out of sheer concern.

Especially Floyd. He still can’t really imagine what a distressed Floyd looks like, but it’s not like he can dismiss that so easily. He still remembers the unfamiliar tone of alarm in his voice when he cried out for him, and, if he racks his brain hard enough, he has a vague recollection of hearing his real name slip through.

But who knows? He may have just imagined that one.

Floyd pulls on Riddle’s two loose hairs. “Ahaaa, Goldfish the rabbit just thanked us!”

“Now, now, Floyd,” Jade laughs. “Let us not ruin this rare moment.”

Riddle’s eye twitches. He regrets this. So, so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did I mention this fic is half-about floriddle and half-about growing up and the changes that come along with it? hopefully this chapter does a good job of introducing that theme
> 
> one more chapter till our boys graduate aka the part where the fic actually starts picking up some steam


	4. 19.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goodbye.

Riddle’s fourth and final year feels like the quickest out of the four. When he attended Trey’s graduation the previous year, he alerted him to how fleeting it would feel, but he still can’t help but be a little surprised at how fast time has passed him by. It makes sense, though. He’s spent so much of the past nine months knee-deep in research, it’s no wonder that he hasn’t been keeping track of the days. It feels like only yesterday when he attended his final entrance ceremony and watched all the incoming first-years get sorted into the dorms.

And tomorrow will be his graduation, his last day ever as a student at NRC. He’s always anticipated himself standing in front of all his peers and receiving his diploma from the Headmaster, but now that it’s finally going to happen, it feels nothing but surreal. He’s made so many memories here that it feels like it’s always been a key part of his life, and he fails to picture himself just… no longer attending. Immediately after the ceremony, he’ll be heading back to the Rose Kingdom, where he’ll start seeing his parents on a daily basis again, where he’ll find opportunities to meet with Che’nya and Trey after months of communicating only through texts and phone calls.

It’ll be a new era for him, for better or for worse. He’s ready for it, yet at the same time, he feels like he’s not.

He thinks about all of this as he strolls across the open field on campus, soaking it all in one last time. He can almost feel the softness of the grass through his shoes as he spots Deuce and Jack, who are partaking in their club activities and racing across the track to see who can cross the goal line first. Though he’s quite a distance away, he still smiles when he recalls how Deuce was chosen to be the next Dorm Head of Heartslabyul last year. He admittedly had his doubts when the decision was first made, but he’s since come around after seeing how eager the underclassman was to learn the tricks of the trade from him. From what he’s seen, Deuce is a good leader—great, even… as long as academics aren’t involved. It’s only a shame that someone else will have to replace him, now that he himself is entering his fourth year.

Just as Riddle is pondering if he should go over to say hi, he stumbles over something in front of him and, letting out a surprised shriek, takes a tumble onto the greenery. He manages to use his arms to break his fall, and he turns his head to glare at whatever or whomever it was that his foot tripped over.

He’s not sure why he’s so surprised to see Floyd lying on his back in the grass, with his hands behind his head.

The merman opens his eyes to see what just jabbed him in the side of his torso, catching sight of the fallen Riddle. “Ah, Goldfish,” he acknowledges dully.

_He’s in a foul mood,_ Riddle realizes. _That’s just great._

When’s the last time he’s seen Floyd? It’s been months, he’s sure. Even during the times he’s come back to campus, he’s only ever run into Jade or Azul. The first-year version of him would have absolutely rejoiced at merely the idea of seeing Floyd so infrequently, but right now, the familiar sight of him almost gives him a sense of comfort and normalcy.

Almost. 

He’s still annoyed, after all.

Shifting to a sitting position with his legs out in front of him, he frowns down at him and chides, “You shouldn’t just lie here. What if I injured myself tripping over you?”

“How did you not see me?” Floyd simply asks, his sullen expression unchanging. 

...How _did_ Riddle not see a nearly two-meter-tall eel right in front of him? Was he really so caught up in his own thoughts that he failed to register his surroundings? He quickly decides it isn’t worth thinking about too deeply. “Th-that’s irrelevant!” he exclaims, somewhat flustered. “What are you even doing here? Don’t you have a shift at the Mostro Lounge?”

“Ditched~” Floyd breaks eye contact and stares straight up at the clouds. “Jade’s covering for me.”

Even though whatever goes down in Octavinelle is none of his business, Riddle can’t help but clench his fists when he hears those words. How can someone have so little regard for his responsibilities? How could Jade just put up with it like it’s nothing? “You probably shouldn’t do that,” he contends, but he knows it’s pointless. Unless Floyd’s mood abruptly lightens, there’s no way he’s going to listen.

“Eh, who cares? We’re graduating tomorrow, anyway. Azul’s not gonna get mad at me for skipping my last day.”

Riddle, for some reason, doubts that. Azul may not be the manager of the Mostro Lounge anymore, but he can’t imagine that he’s okay with Floyd not helping to earn a little extra profit. Then again, it’s not like he’s any more capable of handling his friend’s mood swings than the average person, so it may be something outside of his control.

But that’s not really what Riddle chooses to focus on. “Tomorrow’s the day, huh…” At the reminder, he, too, gazes up at the sky, a blue expanse that makes him feel so miniscule in comparison. Without thinking, he asks, “Did you think this day would ever come?”

“Huh?” Floyd sounds confused. It’s clear he misses the point of what Riddle’s saying. “Of course it would’ve come. All days come eventually.”

Riddle shakes his head. “No, I mean… Never mind.”

He probably shouldn’t be trying to initiate a conversation with Floyd, especially not when he’s like this. In theory, it would be nice if the two of them could have a pleasant chat for once before going their separate ways for good, but it looks to him like that isn’t happening.

He should leave.

“What are you gonna do, Goldfish?”

Riddle’s just about to stand when Floyd catches him off guard with his question. “What?”

“Y’know, after everyone graduates and leaves this place.” Floyd is once again looking at him, something unreadable in his eyes. “What are you gonna do?”

“You mean… my plans for the future?” When Floyd nods, he responds without hesitation, “I’m going to return to my homeland and enroll in medical school. My goal is to become a magical doctor.”

It’s a career path that he’s envisioned for years—one that his family’s envisioned for him before he was even old enough to walk. He’ll follow in his parents’ footsteps and become someone who sees patients on a daily basis and cures them through the use of magic and potions. Fortunately, the Rose Kingdom has a fair amount of schools for that sort of thing, and with his grades, he’s sure he’ll be able to get accepted into at least one. He even conducted his field research on various healing ingredients, which he’s sure will enhance his applications.

“Ah.” And just like that, Floyd loses interest once more. He turns to lie on his side, his back facing Riddle. “That sounds boring.”

_Of course that’s what he says._

A part of Riddle can’t help but feel that there’s something off about Floyd right now, that this isn’t one of his usual moods. There’s just something odd about the way he asks about Riddle’s plans in a sudden bout of interest, only to shut down immediately after being granted his answer; usually, he’d jump at any chance to tease him. And now, he’s even turned away physically, refusing to even glance at the shorter boy. It’s like there was something just now that he didn’t want to hear.

But if that’s true, what was it? It’s not like anyone else’s ambitions involve him in the slightest bit. As a matter of fact, what exactly does _he_ plan to do after graduation? Riddle tries to recall something—anything—from his interactions with Floyd over the years that can give him a glimpse into what he aims to do. Did he mention something at any point? Not anything that Riddle can think of. Did the topic of his field research reveal anything that he may have been interested in? If Riddle’s memory isn’t mistaken, he’s pretty sure Floyd just joined Jade in whatever it was he wanted to do. Something about mushrooms, he thinks.

...Riddle really doesn’t know anything about Floyd, does he?

The more he thinks about it, the more he realizes that’s the case. They’ve known each other for four whole years, and yet, Floyd isn’t any less of an enigma than he was the first day he met him. It’s always been _Goldfish this, Goldfish that_ with Riddle doing his utter best to stay away as much as possible, so… it’s not like he’s ever had a chance to properly get to know him, has he?

And yet, this lack of familiarity feels strangely one-sided. It isn’t much, but Floyd’s seen Riddle’s vulnerable side a few times. The latter can vaguely remember him being there for him when he was fretting over the Overblot incidents, and then there was that incident where he collapsed from fatigue during his third year… Has Riddle ever caught Floyd with his guard down, like he has with him? He doesn’t even need to think that hard about it to know that he hasn’t. Any chance he could have had at seeing a different side of Floyd Leech has been tainted by wild mood swings and a lack of willingness to let anyone in.

Just like now.

Riddle’s not sure why he even tried.

“I don’t get you,” he sighs, finally getting up from the grass and brushing himself off. “I may not see you tomorrow at the ceremony, so allow me to say this now: I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. I don’t know what you plan on doing, but whatever it is, I hope you succeed at it.”

If Floyd is listening, he makes no indication of it. He doesn’t turn over, the stillness of his body giving off the impression that he’s fallen asleep.

Riddle rolls his eyes, but there’s barely any vitriol behind the action. Good grief. “Goodbye, Floyd,” he says, despite being certain that he’s not even awake to hear him. With his farewell bade, he turns on his heel and makes his way to the running tracks, calling out to Deuce and Jack with a wave of his hand.

  
Even after he’s long gone, Floyd doesn’t move from his spot. As he stares into space, his fingers fiddle with the blades of grass underneath his hand, leaving little green stains on his skin. He opens his mouth and, to no one in particular, utters in a tone too defeated to be coming from him:

“Bye, **_Riddle_ **…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> geez what's going on with floyd? well that's for me to know and for y'all to NEVER FIND OUT (until i update)


	5. 20.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But even if I become a proper ‘Rosehearts,’ will I still be ‘Riddle’? Have I ever been ‘Riddle’ when everything that I’ve done up to this point is something she has had a hand in? Did I ever genuinely want to attend medical school, or did I convince myself that I did because of her? I just don’t know anymore…”
> 
> “Huh? Are you saying you don’t know if you’ve ever been your own person or something like that?” Floyd frowns. “That’s a stupid question. Of course you are. I know who **_Riddle_** is.”

The Rose Kingdom’s not exactly known for its seaside, but its beach isn’t anything to scoff at. Both citizens and visitors find themselves enjoying their time by the shore whenever they choose to visit, with the gentle, rhythmic waves lapping the warm grains of sand underneath everyone’s feet. Furthermore, it’s neither too crowded nor too deserted, allowing people to interact with each other or keep to themselves, whichever it is they prefer. Or at least, that’s what Riddle’s heard from Trey, since the former has actually never gone to the beach during the daytime.

Can anyone blame him? He didn’t exactly have a childhood full of socialization, and his mother thought outdoorsy affairs like hiking or swimming weren’t nearly as important as his studies. Though he realizes he, as an adult, is now free to indulge in beach activities, he’s never felt any incentive to do so. Personally, when it comes to recreation, he prefers horseback riding.

That being said, however, he thinks he does like the beach, albeit in a different way from everyone else. During the night, the place is completely uninhabited, with all the hubbub from hours earlier replaced by a quiet serenity that never fails to calm him. He’s been visiting this past year whenever he feels the stress of medical school getting to him, finding that gazing at the moonlight reflected in the ocean allows him to get away from it all.

And tonight, he _really_ needs to get away.

He sits at the end of the dock, with his legs swinging over the edge of the platform. His shoes are placed right beside him, and his bare feet barely graze the ocean beneath him. Unfortunately, he hasn’t grown an inch during the past few years, so he’s given up on any wishful thinking that his height can ever go beyond 160 centimeters. It irks him (and it probably always will), but recently, he finds it oddly comforting that there’s at least _something_ in his life that hasn’t changed. 

As ridiculous as it sounds to seek solace from his physique of all things, he’s been left feeling lost in life at every waking moment. Medical school has been hard on him—not necessarily because he isn’t good at it, which he is, but because he finds himself more than a little unhappy with it. Not only has it left him busier than he ever was at NRC, keeping him from even calling Trey or Che’nya on the phone to catch up, but he’s also begun to realize that he derives no pleasure from the notion of becoming a magical doctor. And he was so enthusiastic about it when he applied, too… It’s astounding how drastically things can shift in such a short time span.

He kicks one leg up, watching the way the movement creates a tiny wave in the ocean as droplets of water drip from his exposed toes. At the same time, he hears a loud splash resounding not too far away, but he doesn’t think too much of it. His best guess is that someone else is here, going for a late-night swim.

He sinks his face into his hands and sighs. _God, what’s wrong with me…?_ Why can’t he just suck it up? He’s in _medical school_. He’s going to be a _doctor_. It’s a solid career path that will bring nothing but good things in the future, so why… why doesn’t he feel at all good about it…? It’s all he knows… It’s all he and his family have had in mind for him… How dare he start thinking things like this now…?

He hears another splash, only this time, it sounds much closer. He peeks through his fingers and sees a large figure swimming in the ocean, heading directly towards him. His confusion only increases tenfold when he realizes the silhouette doesn’t look fully human, and he wonders what in the world it is that he’s looking at. With the moon being the only source of light around here, it’s hard for him to really discern anything, much less something with such a strange outline.

It stops dead right in front of him and moves to float upright. Just as he squints and begins to suspect that he’s seen a figure like this before, it raises its head partly above the water to glance up at him. 

Though the bottom half of its face is still submerged, Riddle can recognize those mismatched eyes anywhere.

His hands drop from his face and to his lap.

_Floyd._

“I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.”

Floyd doesn’t say anything, only continuing to bob in the water. Riddle takes this as an invitation to continue.

“But I just feel so unsure of myself, even when I shouldn’t be. I know so many of our former classmates would kill to have some sort of path for themselves, and I’m lucky enough to have had it decided for me early on.” He stares down at his hands, his fingers now interwoven. Twiddling his thumbs, he sighs, “Would I be too selfish if I told everyone now that this path I’ve been following this whole time may not have been the correct one? What would Mother say, as the one who’s established all of these expectations for me?”

Floyd hums. “Your mom’s seriously like that?” he finally utters after what feels like forever of keeping silent. “She sounds like a pain.”

“She’s… gotten better recently,” Riddle admits. Fortunately, she’s allowed him a bit of leniency since he became a legal adult, but it isn’t like her controlling habits have faded overnight. “She set me up to be the perfect son, someone who can become a magical doctor like her and Father. Someone who can carry on the Rosehearts name.” His hands break apart from one another, and they clench into fists. “But even if I become a proper ‘Rosehearts,’ will I still be ‘Riddle’? Have I ever been ‘Riddle’ when everything that I’ve done up to this point is something she has had a hand in? Did I ever genuinely want to attend medical school, or did I convince myself that I did because of her? I just don’t know anymore…”

“Huh? Are you saying you don’t know if you’ve ever been your own person or something like that?” Floyd frowns. “That’s a stupid question. Of course you are. I know who **_Riddle_ ** is.”

“Y… You do?”

Floyd nods. “Yeah, you’re a tiny goldfish that gets mad easily, and your face gets all red when that happens. Or did she tell you to be that way or something?”

“Sh-shut up!” Riddle feels a surge of annoyance course through him. He suddenly remembers why he found Floyd to be such a pain when they were schoolmates. “She obviously didn’t!”

Despite his words, Floyd looks completely serious, like he has absolutely no intention of teasing him right now. “Then that proves it, right? **_Riddle_ ** is real, and he can choose to do whatever he wants.”

“But—” Riddle tries to protest.

“Didn’t I tell you? Just focus on being you sometimes. Forget what everyone else wants.”

...He did say something like that once, didn’t he? It’s been a long time, but Riddle still remembers.

 _“Just focus on being_ **Riddle** _. And_ **Riddle’s** _allowed to fall short sometimes.”_

“Enough with that talk about figuring it all out. There’s more to life than boring stuff like careers and expectations, ya know.” For a moment, a tinge of deep resentment creeps into Floyd’s tone, as if this topic is something deeply personal to him, and he’s partly reassuring himself. “Just do what you feel like. You’re twenty now. Your parents can’t tell you what to do anymore.”

“Of course _you’d_ say that,” Riddle retorts. 

Floyd’s always been like this. He never reads the room, never has an ounce of consideration for others, only doing whatever he wants at the moment. All he cares about is what entertains him and nothing else. And that’s probably something that will never change about him.

...That side of him will never change.

Thank the heavens for that.

Riddle starts laughing despite himself. Floyd’s words sound so unhelpful to his predicament, he shouldn’t be finding them this consoling, but he does. Perhaps there is a valid point somewhere underneath all that careless drivel, but he can think about all of that later. Right now, he’s merely relieved that there’s something in his life that truly has stayed the same.

A confused Floyd tilts his head at the sight before him. “Eh, Goldfish? You’re being weird.”

Ah, there it is—that old nickname. For a second there, Riddle thought Floyd might have given up on it, but it seems he’s been proven wrong in that regard. Yet another thing that hasn’t changed. Out loud, he says, still smiling, “It’s nothing, Floyd. I was just thinking of something silly.”

“Ehhh, I don’t get it.” Floyd moves to float on his back and rest on the top of the water. His tail flicks up and slaps back down, the resulting splash almost drenching Riddle, who manages to dodge in time. “Still, if you feel better, then I don’t care.”

Riddle nods. He didn’t know how much he needed this conversation. He’s been so caught up in his own feelings that he’s glad he could’ve talked this out with someone… even if that someone is a temperamental eel who’s too carefree to relate to such troubles. It’s not like he’s had a sudden epiphany on what his future holds, but at the very least, he doesn’t feel so overwhelmed by it anymore. He’ll probably figure it out once he steps back and takes a good look at his options.

“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask…” he begins, ready to ask a question that’s been on his mind since Floyd showed up. “What are you doing here?”

To his surprise, Floyd’s expression instantly morphs into a scowl, and his entire body tenses. As innocuous as Riddle’s intentions are, it’s clear that he’s hit upon a sore spot. He’s about to take it back and tell the merman that he doesn’t need to answer if he doesn’t want to when the latter mutters, “Dad wants to go on a family trip to the south, so we’re all swimming there.”

Oh, so he isn’t alone? Riddle glances past him for any sign of anyone besides the two of them. “You’re with Jade, then? Where is he?”

“Who cares?” Floyd grumbles.

Okay, _that’s_ weird. Riddle remembers Floyd as someone who constantly yearns to be by his twin’s side. To see him so apathetic about Jade’s whereabouts… Perhaps there are some things about him that have changed, after all. Figures. 

...Or is there something else going on? Now that Riddle thinks about it, Floyd has been awfully serious tonight, with no hint of a smile. It may just be because he’s in a sour mood, but this isn’t really how he acts when he’s upset, either… 

Riddle forces himself to shove those thoughts into the back of his mind. It’s not his place to speculate, and he’s sure that if Floyd wanted him to know, he would have said something by now. “I’m just wondering where your family is, since you’re supposedly with them,” he explains aloud, not wanting the other to think he’s trying to pry. “You’re by the shore, you know. I doubt this is your final stop.”

“I snuck away.” At this point, Floyd is staring up at the sky, his face completely blank. “I’ll just catch up later.”

“You shouldn’t be by yourself if you’re unfamiliar with the area,” Riddle scolds. He highly doubts that Floyd is well-acquainted enough with the Rose Kingdom’s ocean to not get lost. “Why would you even sneak away in the first place?”

“Because I saw you.”

He stiffens. “What…?”

“I saw you and thought you shouldn’t be here.” By now, Floyd is gazing at him with those gleaming eyes of his, their bright colors a sharp contrast to the dark of the night. “Goldfish don’t belong in the sea.”

“I should go,” Riddle coughs, suddenly feeling a little warm. “You probably should, too… before you fall too far behind…”

Floyd makes a noise that can pass as either a yes or a no, depending on the context. In this one, Riddle’s not sure which it is, but regardless, he stands and brushes himself off. As he slips on his shoes, he mumbles a quick goodbye and hurries down the dock, feeling unreasonably determined to get away.

It’s only when he reaches the other end that he dares to look back.

Floyd is nowhere to be seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all will find out what's up with floyd in the next chapter lol


	6. 21.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's something wrong with Floyd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posting this chapter relatively quickly because it's the one I've been the most excited for. it's also the longest, so enjoy!  
> that being said however... **content warning for mentions of blood, violence, assault, and mental illness**

Riddle yawns as he makes his way to the Hall of Mirrors. He had no idea that the class reunion at NRC would go on till this late, but he can’t really bring himself to mind all that much. It was nice to see his former classmates again, even if he had to excuse himself early to head home. Although he’s never been a night owl, medical school has forced him to start waking up and going to bed at even earlier hours. It’s currently eleven at night, and while that’s probably nothing to a lot of his peers, it’s far past his curfew. He felt somewhat bad cutting his conversation with Silver short, but fortunately, his old clubmate didn’t seem to mind… probably because he can understand firsthand what it’s like to be kept awake.

Hm. Then again, it didn’t seem like that narcoleptic was having any trouble during the reunion. Maybe he got better at dealing with it? Maybe Riddle should have asked before he left.

Oh well, he supposes there’s always next time. Even if the school itself never hosts a reunion for their class again (which is unlikely), he’s sure someone like Kalim can throw something together. _Perks of having a party animal around,_ Riddle thinks dryly.

Yeah, he enjoyed himself. It was nice to see everyone again and discover what they’ve been up to since graduation.

Well, almost everyone. There were three that he expected to see at some point during the gathering, yet they never showed up.

 _Maybe they had a scheduling conflict,_ he muses, entering the hall. Still, if that’s the case, it’s a little strange that at least one of them didn’t come to represent their group…

...Eh, it’s probably nothing.

Shaking off the bad feeling he has about it, Riddle approaches the Magic Mirror, sidestepping some dark red stains on the floor that he’s certain weren’t there when he arrived. Did someone sneak up here at some point and spill their wine without cleaning it up? He resists the urge to go back to the reunion, find the culprit, and behead them, instead stepping through the mirror and emerging from the other side.

A secluded alleyway not far from his house greets him. He wraps his arms around his body when he feels the chill in the air. All the more reason to hurry home.

He takes one step forward… 

...and feels somebody grab his shoulders.

Fear immediately overtakes him. When he was a child, his mother constantly warned him of being out at night by himself, claiming that people would lurk in the shadows, ready to strike their prey at any given moment. His instincts kick in, and he begins to struggle against the grip on him, but it proves to be easier said than done. The person who has ambushed him is clearly bigger and stronger than him, and he curses himself for being so small, so frail—

“It’s me.”

Riddle immediately stops when he hears the quiet yet familiar voice, his panic immediately dissipating in lieu of irritation. He heaves an exasperated sigh just as Floyd releases him, and he turns to glare up at him for scaring him like that. “Why are you…”

When he actually lays his eyes on Floyd, the end of his question dies on his tongue before it has a chance to be said. All the color has been drained from the merman’s face, he’s visibly shaking, and his eyes are glazed over, but above all else, Riddle notices the dark red stains all over the front of his body.

He’s pretty sure he knows what those stains are, given Floyd’s overall condition.

“You’re hurt!” Suddenly, Riddle doesn’t feel so tired anymore, and he whips out his handkerchief from his jacket pocket. As he wipes some blood off of the base of Floyd’s neck, a million questions run through his head: _Why is he here? Why is he bleeding? What’s going on?!_

Before he can ask any of them, however, Floyd pushes him away. “It’s not my blood,” he manages to explain, but his words come out slowly and sluggishly. There’s a slight tremor in his voice as he continues, “Azul’s in the hospital.”

“What…?” Riddle’s eyes widened, and he glances down at his handkerchief, now soiled with what’s apparently Azul’s blood. “You… Where’s Jade?”

“With Azul.”

“What happened?!” he blurts out, staring up at him in alarm. What happened while the rest of them were enjoying their time at the reunion? Was it some sort of accident? A traffic collision, perhaps? No, wait, Azul and the twins are from the ocean, so they wouldn’t have that sort of thing… He suddenly thinks back to the mysterious red splotches on the floor in the Hall of Mirrors. Could that have actually been… but what could have occurred there to injure Azul to the point of having to be hospitalized?!

He watches Floyd, no doubt overwhelmed, lean against the wall to steady himself. For some reason, he’s not looking back at him, his unfocused eyes instead staring off into space. For someone who isn’t actually hurt, he sure is showing signs of disorientation.

“We were supposed to have fun at the reunion,” he croaks out. “So we dressed up and went through the mirror…”

He sounds like he wants to cry. From shock, perhaps?

“But then… then these things showed up…”

What showed up? Was there something in the Hall of Mirrors that ambushed them when they arrived?

“Azul and Jade weren’t there anymore. They went away, and I was left with these things… pretending to be them…”

 _Huh?_ What is he talking about? Nothing he’s saying makes sense…

“And I wanted ‘em back, so I… told those things to give ‘em back… but they wouldn’t, so I… said I’d squeeze ‘em till they did…”

Then, it hits Riddle, and he drops his handkerchief in horror. At the exact same time, Floyd finally shifts his guilty gaze to look directly at him.

“ _I beat up Azul._ ”

“Oh my god,” Riddle breathes, his voice barely above a whisper. He instantly reaches for the cell phone in his other pocket. “I’m calling Jade.” He has his number from their school days saved in his contacts. Hopefully, it hasn’t changed. “Does he even know you’re here—”

“Stop!” Suddenly, Floyd lunges towards him and grabs his arm before he can actually take the device out. “You can’t!”

Well, that effectively answers Riddle’s question. “Floyd, you…” He tries to pull his arm away, but Floyd hangs on firmly. “He’s probably wondering where you are—”

Floyd shakes his head stubbornly. “It doesn’t matter! I won’t go back! I _can’t_!” He tightens his hold on Riddle, failing to notice the way the medical school student hisses in pain at the pressure. “Please understand! **_Riddle_** , please…!”

“Floyd, you’re hurting me!”

He emits a frantic, little noise, letting go of Riddle and taking a couple of steps backward to create a distance between them. “I’m sorry,” he whimpers softly, staring down at his feet. Riddle’s never seen him look so frightened… so small. “I can’t go back… I can’t…”

As he rubs the arm, Riddle stays silent and deliberates his options for a few seconds, his eyes never leaving the miserable form before him. Finally, he sighs, releases the grip on his phone, and steps forward, holding out a hand. He nods his head towards the alley exit. “Come on, let’s go.”

Floyd’s head shoots up, and he stares at Riddle’s outstretched limb with an expression akin to fear. “G-go where?”

“I’m taking you to my house,” Riddle explains, suddenly very glad that he moved out of his parents’ home earlier this year. There’s no way he’d hear the end of it if they knew about this. “I won’t force you to confront Jade when you’re not ready, but I also won’t leave you here on your own. I’ll allow you to stay the night.”

Seemingly having trouble accepting his words, Floyd’s eyes dart rapidly between Riddle and his hand. He looks like he’s afraid to take it.

“Floyd.” Riddle’s entire being softens. “It’ll be okay.” Or at least, he hopes it will be, but he’s not about to reveal his uncertainty. “Please… believe me when I say that.”

At that moment, a single sob escapes Floyd’s lips.

He takes Riddle’s hand.

Riddle sits outside his own bathroom, with Floyd’s clothes folded neatly in his lap. As he rests his back against the door, he closes his eyes and goes over everything that happened this past hour in his mind.

He escorted Floyd back to his house and allowed him to take a breather for a few minutes, before deciding he wasn’t going to put up with the merman’s sorry state if he could help it. He prepared a bath for him and ordered him to leave his bloody clothes outside the door, so he could wash them in the meantime. After doing so and tossing them in the dryer, he stood and watched the minutes on the machine count down to zero, retrieving them afterwards and… well, here he is now. He realizes that Floyd is taking an awfully long time bathing, but he doesn’t blame him. He sort of feels like he needs an extra long soak himself.

_“I beat up Azul.”_

What in the world…? How does something like that even happen? Floyd’s earlier explanation is still mostly nonsense to Riddle, but he’s sure of two things: It went down in the Hall of Mirrors, and it wasn’t on purpose. What is it that he said again?

_“Azul and Jade weren’t there anymore. They went away, and I was left with these things pretending to be them.”_

There were “things”? As far as Riddle knows, the Hall of Mirrors doesn’t house any spirits that impersonate others, so that possibility’s out of the question. But what else is there in that room that could have showed up? Was it an intruder with some sort of unique magic of the sort? Somehow, that doesn’t feel right, either. There was no indication of suspicious activity when he arrived, and there was none when he left.

Aside from what he now knows was Azul’s blood, that is. The memory of it makes him shudder. Surely, the school staff will clean it up tomorrow at the latest, but… will they even recognize what it is? It’s not like anyone witnessed Floyd pummeling Azul. They’ve been spared from knowing the awful truth.

“Goldfish? Are you there?”

The voice on the other side of the door startles Riddle out of his thoughts. “Yes, I am,” he calls back. Floyd just called him by his usual nickname. Is that a sign that he’s feeling better? “Are you done?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, let me know once you’ve dried off, so I can hand you your clothes. You can use one of the towels on the left rack.”

He hears Floyd sloshing and getting out of the bathtub, then the stopper being removed to drain the water. Not even five seconds pass before the eel repeats, “Goldfish?”

“Yes?”

“I kinda wanna talk. Can I?”

Riddle’s so used to Floyd doing whatever he wants without asking that he’s rather taken aback by the sudden request for permission. Then again, it’s not nearly the strangest thing to have happened tonight. He nods, momentarily forgetting that Floyd can’t see him. “I don’t mind.”

“It started in our last year of school when we were supposed to be doing field research.” Riddle hears some shuffling in the bathroom, most likely from Floyd drying himself. “I didn’t care about doing it, so I just said I’d do whatever Jade did. The teachers said it was fine.”

“I think I remember that,” Riddle replies, looking up at the ceiling to recall what feels like so long ago. “The two of you went up to the mountains, I believe? I always thought that aligned more with his interests than yours.”

“Yeah, yeah. The research itself was super boring, but everything would be fine as long as we were together. And it _was_ fine for a while, y’know?” Floyd’s breath hitches in his throat, but continues, “But one day, he went off and left me alone for a few minutes. And then things got weird.”

Riddle’s eyebrows furrow. “Weird how?” 

“I dunno. I just started feeling really scared. It got really hard to breathe, and my heart started beating really fast. I had gone up that mountain a buncha times before, but it didn’t feel like it. I felt lost. Like I didn’t know how to climb back down.”

“That’s…” Riddle’s eyes widen. “Floyd…”

“But Jade came back, and then things were fine again. I only felt that way for a minute, so it was probably nothing.”

 _That doesn’t sound like nothing,_ the redhead thinks to himself, but he doesn’t utter it out loud. Floyd probably already knows.

“Remember the day before graduation, when you caught me sleeping in the grass? And I said I ditched work?”

Riddle is surprised by the sudden question, but he has a hunch that it’s not the non sequitur it seems to be at first glance. “I do.”

“I lied. I didn’t ditch.” Floyd has never sounded more ashamed of himself than he does now. “I just couldn’t… do anything at the Lounge. Azul had said something earlier about how we needed to work extra hard, since it was our last day or whatever, and how things were gonna be different for all of us after that. It was really annoying, but I still tried to do what he said. But my body wasn’t working. I wasn’t understanding any of the orders. It was like they were all speaking a different language. The new manager yelled at me to get it together, but it didn’t help. He kicked me out after I broke three dishes in the kitchen.”

“Floyd—”

“Jade said things would probably get better once we went back to the Coral Sea.” At this point, the only sound coming from inside the bathroom is Floyd’s own voice. It’s clear that he’s long since finished drying himself, and he’s now just standing there in the nude. “And he was right at first. Then our dad started talking about having him take over the business once he gets older. Without me.”

That makes sense. Jade has always been the more businesslike out of the two of them. The rational part of Riddle can’t fault their father for choosing him over Floyd, but seeing Floyd like this makes him wonder if that was the right call, after all.

As if he’s somehow reading Riddle’s mind, Floyd continues, “It’s not like I minded. Jade can do whatever he wants. I was happy for him… but then Mom and Dad started asking what _I_ was gonna do. Every time I said I didn’t know, they’d get all upset and start yapping about how I wasn’t a kid anymore. I complained to Jade about it at one point, but he actually sided with them. Something about how I should at least _try_ to think about it.”

Riddle doesn’t remember the last time Jade actively shot down anything Floyd said, so he has trouble picturing how that conversation went down. He can’t imagine that Floyd was all too happy when he realized he was alone in his feelings.

“Then things started getting even weirder at some point last year. I started feeling like nothing was real.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I dunno. It’s hard to explain. I started feeling like I was in one of Firefly Squid-senpai’s games. My parents and Jade didn’t feel like my parents and Jade anymore. The Coral Sea didn’t feel like the Coral Sea anymore. Everything felt a little bit off—everyone’s voices were too high or too low, the currents in the sea felt like they were lines that didn’t mean anything, we were all just tiny, meaningless fish in a big ocean…” If what Floyd was doing before wasn’t rambling, this certainly is. “They all noticed. Dad thought I needed to get out and see more of the world or something, which is why we had that family trip that one time. But I hated it. I didn’t know anything around me, and it scared me. So when I saw you looking sad, I had to take that chance to get away, even if it was only for a few minutes.”

“You… you were feeling that way?” Riddle asks softly, thinking back to that night. He remembers being so caught up in his own issues, yet Floyd never betrayed anything to show what he was going through at the time. Or was he too distracted to notice anything wrong? Could Floyd have been… relying on him to notice? “I’m sorry… I went on and on about my own problems, but I never stopped to consider…”

“It’s okay,” Floyd cuts in before he can finish. “It’s not like I told you anything. You couldn’t have known.”

Despite the reassurance, Riddle can’t help but feel like he could have done something more. Maybe he should’ve stayed at the dock a little bit longer, just so Floyd could have sought more refuge from him? He hates the idea that he might have forced him to go back to something that was clearly making things worse for him. However, as much as these thoughts race through his mind, he still presses on, “And tonight? How did all of that happen?”

Well, he asks that, but he’s pretty sure he knows how. Funny, not even ten minutes ago, he was struggling so hard to understand what Floyd meant back at the alleyway, but now, all of this new context renders it obvious.

“We were… going to the reunion,” Floyd repeats. “We just went through the Magic Mirror.”

_“Ah, Night Raven College! It has been too long. Jade, Floyd, perhaps we should visit the Mostro Lounge before we reunite with everyone? I heard that the manager has changed once again, and I’d like to see what they’ve done with the place.”_

_“Of course. I have also seen Magicam posts informing me that they have expanded the menu. I would certainly like to try one of their new drinks.”_

_“Excellent. What do you think, Floyd?”_

“It happened out of nowhere. One second, Azul and Jade were there. The next second… they weren't.”

_“Floyd? You seem to be spacing out. Are you okay?”_

_“...You’re not real.”_

_“Ex… excuse me?”_

“I couldn’t recognize them anymore. They were just… shapes. Shapes and lines. Shapes and lines that weren’t really alive. And it freaked me out.”

_“You’re not real.”_

_“What… are you talking about—”_

_“You’re not real! Where’s Azul?! Where’s Jade?!”_

_“Floyd, please calm down—”_

_“No! Gimme back Azul and Jade! I’ll… I’ll squeeze you!”_

“The next few seconds are kinda a blur, but I think I was yelling something…? And they were yelling something back…”

_“What has gotten into you?! I know you have mood swings, but this is going too far!”_

_“Shutupshutupshutup! Like you care! You’re not real!”_

_“Jade, what is going on with your brother?!”_

_“I…! Floyd, stop this right now! Hey, are you listening?!”_

“At some point, I couldn’t take it anymore.”

_“I’ll squeeze you… I’ll squeeze you…”_

“I lost control, and everything went dark…”

_“Floyd…? What are you… No, no, nonono. Don’t come any closer—aaaah!”_

“...When I woke up, Jade was screaming…”

 _“Floyd, what are you—no! Floyd?! Floyd! Get off of Azul!_ **_Floyd_** _!!”_

“...and I was on top of Azul, bashing his face into the floor.”

“ ** _Riddle_** ,” Floyd murmurs in utter resignation, “I think there’s something wrong with me.”

Riddle, in turn, doesn’t know what to say. How _can_ he? After all of that… he feels like he knows way too much. He can’t help but think back to simpler times, when, to him, Floyd was nothing but an unpredictable boy with mood swings that didn’t mask any hidden issues. Just when did all of this start? Apparently, their fourth year was when it truly started manifesting, but how long had it been simmering behind the scenes?

“Can you fix me?”

That’s an unexpected question. Riddle’s not sure what to make of it. “What do you mean?”

“You’re in med school, right? Can you fix me? Make this all go away?”

Riddle feels his heart drop when it hits him. Floyd sounds so skeptical, yet so hopeful that he can indeed “fix” him. It makes him want to kick himself for letting him down.

“I’m sorry, Floyd. I can’t.” He won’t lie to him just so he can feel better. It’s not what he needs. “I study physical illnesses. Even if I had the authority to help you… this is out of my league.”

Silence.

“But I think… you should get help,” Riddle continues, desperately hoping that Floyd doesn’t take it the wrong way. “And I don’t mean from your parents or Jade, because this isn’t something they can handle, either. If you can, you should seek out a professional who actually knows what they’re doing.”

More silence. Then, some shuffling. Finally:

“Can I have my clothes now?”

Floyd’s tone is unreadable, but he doesn’t _sound_ upset. Riddle hopes he’s not wrong on this.

“Yeah,” he says as he stands up and sets the articles of clothing down by the doorway. “I’ll go… grab a spare comforter from my closet. You can sleep on the couch.”

He walks away. After a few seconds, he hears the door open behind him.

“You don’t have to answer this, but… there’s still something about tonight I’m not clear on.”

“Hm?” Floyd wriggles around underneath the comforter, stretching his long legs out to the other side of the couch. Thankfully, the piece of furniture is actually quite wide, so even someone as tall as him can lie straight without having his legs hanging awkwardly off the other end. “What is it?”

Facing him in a chair next to the couch, Riddle hesitates, but he ultimately chooses to persist, “What happened after you… you know?”

He doesn’t have to clarify for Floyd to understand what he’s talking about. “Jade pulled me off of Azul and started yelling,” he explains, staring up at the ceiling. “Then he… picked him up and went back through the mirror to the Coral Sea. He said he was taking him to the hospital. I was supposed to follow, but… I came here instead.”

“So as far as he’s concerned, you’re missing.” Riddle can’t help but feel really sorry for Jade right now. Between his childhood friend getting beat and his twin brother running off, there’s no way he’s not freaking out despite his usually calm demeanor. “Should I at least tell him you’re safe and with me?”

Floyd tenses at the suggestion. “No!” he squeaks fearfully. “He was really mad. What if he does something to me?”

Riddle can’t believe his ears. _Floyd_ is _scared_ of _Jade_? What happened to their inseparability? What happened to the unconditional trust? “Has something occurred between the two of you?” he asks, concerned. There has to be. Why else would Floyd react this way?

To his complete bafflement, Floyd shakes his head. “No… I mean, yeah? I guess? I dunno. We didn’t get into a fight or anything, it’s just…”

“It’s just…?”

“We’re not the same anymore. He’s the ‘good’ twin now. He’s the one who has it all figured out, while I just… There’s something wrong with me,” he echoes his words from earlier, clearly unable to describe it in any other way. “I messed up tonight. He probably hates me.”

Wow. Riddle would laugh at the very notion if the situation weren’t so grave. Although Floyd has somewhat calmed down, it’s clear that he’s still too emotional to think straight. He thinks Jade hates him now? When pigs fly.

“Floyd, I won’t pretend to understand Jade more than you do,” he begins, “and yes, assaulting Azul is kind of a big deal. But I highly doubt that he could ever hate you.”

Clearly not believing him, Floyd merely looks up at him like he’s sprouted a second head.

Now, Riddle isn’t exactly the most patient of individuals, but he manages to reign it in. Maybe he ought to go at it from a different angle. “Why were you in that alley tonight?”

“I was waiting for you, since I knew you were at the reunion,” Floyd responds immediately.

“Okay, and why did you do that?”

Floyd is visibly befuddled at the line of questioning. “D… dunno? It felt right, I guess. To find you, I mean.”

There’s his chance. “In other words, you trusted me to listen to what you had to say.”

“Yeah, I guess you could put it that way.” Floyd nods. “I think I was right to do that. You’re even letting me stay the night and all.”

“Then will you trust me when I tell you what Jade once said to me?” Riddle doesn’t wait for him to reply before going, “He said he wanted to see you happy more than anything else in the world.”

“He… he said that?”

Riddle isn’t sure why he seems so surprised, since that little fact is rather obvious to anyone who has ever encountered the twins. Again, however, it could be the emotions that are clouding Floyd’s judgment. “He did,” he affirms. He never would have thought that a random private conversation shared between him and Jade would come up again years later, but right now, he’s glad that he even remembers. “Do you really think that’s changed just because you’re unwell? As a matter of fact, if he was telling the truth then, he must be so worried right now. I’m sure he just wants you to get better.”

He watches Floyd’s expression transform into one of conflict as his point sinks in. It seems like he wants to argue back, yet also wants to believe his words. It’s like witnessing tonight’s Floyd and the Floyd he’s used to mentally fight for dominance.

“You don’t have to decide right away what you want to do,” Riddle assures him, rising from his chair. At this point, it’s far past midnight, and he can feel his tiredness finally returning. “You probably need some sleep first, so let me know over breakfast instead, okay?”

Floyd thinks some more for a bit before nodding tentatively. “Okay.”

“Good night, Floyd.”

“‘Night, Goldfish."

Morning comes, and Floyd makes his decision.

Riddle honestly prefers to call rather than text, since the latter feels a little too informal for his taste. Still, he’s left with no choice when Jade refuses to pick up his phone, so he resorts to sending a short yet direct message instead:

 _Floyd’s with me._

Not even five seconds after, his phone starts ringing. Figures.

“Hello—”

_“Riddle-san?!”_

Holy… Despite having expected Jade to be a total mess by now, Riddle still finds himself floored when he notices how rattled he sounds. Before now, he has never even heard Jade raise his voice, so this… this is an experience. Then again, all of the past twelve hours have been an experience.

_“Is it true?! Is Floyd really with you?!”_

Riddle shoots a glance at the individual in question, who’s currently sitting at the dining table and drinking a mug full of hot coffee, all the while staring blankly at the wall. “Yes, he is. And before you ask, he’s okay.”

Better than last night, at least.

_“Oh, thank the Sea Witch! I have been running around and searching for him for hours! He is not answering his phone, either!”_

“Ah…” Floyd, evidently hearing everything despite Jade not being on speaker, starts feeling his pockets. “Musta dropped it somewhere.”

Riddle can’t resist rolling his eyes at that. To Jade, he says, “I heard about what happened with Azul. Floyd just… needed some time to gather his thoughts. He…” He tightens his grip on his phone. “He has something he wants to tell you, but it’s probably best if you hear it from his own mouth.”

_“Where are you? I will come to pick him up right now!”_

“I’ll text you the address. Also, Jade, if it isn’t too much, I have a little favor to ask of you in regards to the situation.”

_“What is it?”_

“...Keep me updated.” Riddle bites his lip. He takes another look at Floyd, who is now gazing out the window. He can’t help but notice the way the sunlight softens his features. “I want to know if he’ll be okay. He’s been hurt deeply by this incident.”

Floyd winces, thinking that he’s talking about Azul. Unbeknownst to him, it’s not just the octopus that Riddle’s referring to.

Jade, on the other hand, catches on. _“I understand,”_ he says after a brief pause. Now that he knows that his brother is okay, some of his characteristic poise seems to have returned. _“After everything you have done for him, it is the least I can do.”_

“Thank you. If we ever have another class reunion, I hope to see you there.”

_“Allow me to return the sentiment. Thank you, Riddle-san. I don’t know how I could ever repay you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> I promise this is the darkest this fic will ever get aslkdfjaklsd next chapter will feel a lot better. it'll be uploaded asap after I let this one sit here and... settle first :))))


	7. 22.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, so you finally figured things out for yourself?” Floyd asks. “That’s great, **_Riddle_**.”
> 
> It’s not the first time Riddle hears Floyd call him by his real name, and usually, he finds that he doesn’t mind a bit. Right now, though… the unpleasant feeling in his gut is so intense, he can’t hold back a grimace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> your suffering enables me

“Riddle? Riddle! Hey, are you listening?”

Riddle snaps out of his thoughts and directs an apologetic look towards his companion. “Yes, I’m sorry, Che’nya. I may have… drifted off for a minute there.”

Che’nya shakes his head and harrumphs, but there’s no true annoyance behind it. The two of them are sitting at a table in the dining area of Trey’s family’s cake shop, taking the time to catch up as they wait for Trey himself to emerge from the kitchen. Given that it’s the weekend, there are even more customers than usual, with a few of them even waiting outside the door for their orders. Riddle hasn’t been here in a while, so it’s nice to see for himself that the Clover family’s business is still booming. With school as rigorous as it always has been, he’s become even more appreciative of the few times he’s free enough to see his friends.

“What’s with ya?” Che’nya asks him, propping an elbow on the circular table and putting his chin in his hand. His signature cat smile is still plastered on his face. “Your internship tiring you out?”

“Heh, maybe a little,” Riddle admits with a slight smile of his own. “I’m fine, though. It’s nothing that I can’t handle.”

“Yeah? I’ve always heard rumors about what Divus Crewel’s like,” Che’nya hums. “I don’t think I’d ever want a guy like that ordering me around.”

“He’s not _that_ bad,” Riddle protests.

When he first got the idea to email Crewel and request to study medicinal herbs under him as an intern, he half-expected him to turn him away. However, just a month ago, his former teacher reached back out to him, asking him when exactly he would be able to start. Since then, whenever he isn’t busy with his medical school classes, he’s been going to a whole other campus, experimenting with different alchemy ingredients, and observing all of Crewel’s classes as an outsider. It took a bit of time for him to adjust to being at Night Raven College as neither a student nor an alumnus, but it’s an environment to which he’s adapted quickly.

“Whatever you say.” In a rare moment of seriousness, Che’nya’s smile disappears, replaced by a straight line. “Did you tell your mom yet?”

Riddle flinches. “N… not yet.”

His return to NRC is one of the few things that his mother doesn’t know about when it comes to his academic life. Everything he’s told her are things that she’d never disapprove of, but this side gig of his… He has his doubts she’d take it lying down, considering the underlying reason he’s chosen to do this, to begin with.

Before Che’nya can reply, Trey appears before them right then and there, holding a slice of cake in each hand. “Hey,” he greets with a smile, setting both of them down on the table. “Sorry for the wait. As you can probably tell, things are a little busy around here.”

“Aww, Trey,” Che’nya grins, grabbing the chocolate slice without an ounce of hesitation. Ignoring the fork set right on the side of the plate, he grabs the whole piece with his hand and takes a big bite out of it. “You shouldn’t have!” he adds with his mouth full.

“Che’nya,” Riddle groans as Trey laughs. He glances down at the other slice: a strawberry shortcake with a thick glob of whipped cream right on top. Pulling the plate closer to him, he uses the fork to scoop up a small chunk and put it in his mouth. His taste buds are immediately greeted with a sugary sweet sensation that spreads across his entire tongue, and he savors it for a good minute before swallowing. Though it’s subtle, he notices the change in flavor. “This is really good,” he tells Trey, “but it tastes a little different from usual. Did you tweak your recipe?”

Trey peels his apron off of his body and sits down in the empty chair between him and Che’nya, folding the piece of clothing neatly and placing it in his lap. “Does it? That’s probably because our apprentice made it.”

Riddle blinks. He didn’t expect that explanation. “Apprentice?”

Trey pauses but then laughs again. “Oh right, I guess I forgot to mention it to you, did I? My dad hired an apprentice for the cake shop. He started working here about two weeks ago.”

“Really? Did he make this, too?” Che’nya’s already halfway through the chocolate slice. “Nice. Gotta be honest, he didn’t really look like the baker type when I met him.”

“Yeah, I was surprised, too,” Trey confesses. “His brother contacted me and asked me to at least give him a chance, but I wasn’t sure about him, so I told him I’d think about it if he brought over a cake of his own for a taste test.”

“And he passed?” Riddle guesses.

“Dad liked his cake so much, he hired him on the spot,” Trey sighs, shaking his head a little bit. “It all happened so fast, but he’s been really helpful, so I can’t really complain.”

“A customer was giving Trey’s little sister crap over an order the other day, and Apprentice Guy came out to fight him,” Che’nya grins at the memory of having witnessed that. "He's hilarious."

“Well, I had to tell him afterwards that we have a policy to treat every customer with the utmost respect, but…” Trey coughs, but Riddle catches the smirk he’s trying and failing to obscure. “It’s hard to get mad when the customer’s an old man yelling at a teenage girl for getting his order wrong.”

Right, Trey’s really protective of his younger siblings, especially his sister. If Riddle recalls correctly, his parents are like that towards their only daughter as well. _Hm._ This apprentice sounds like a bit of a rule-breaker, albeit not an ill-intentioned one. He wonders if he’ll get to meet him sometime today.

As he picks up another chunk of cake with his fork, Che’nya continues, “I can’t believe you stopped the fight right before it got physical.”

“I wasn’t going to allow anyone to make a scene, no matter how understandable it was,” Trey argues.

“Still, I wanted to see what’d happen,” Che’nya complains. “What was it he threatened to do to the guy again? Squeeze him?”

Riddle freezes just as he’s about to put the cake in his mouth.

“You shoulda stopped him _after_ I found out what that meant.”

“Your priorities are something to behold, Che’nya,” Trey retorts. Shifting his attention to Riddle, he asks, “Hey, you okay?”

“U-um, yeah.” Riddle shakes his head, ridding himself of the silly thought that just crept into his brain. There’s no way. There’s no way _he’d_ be here. It’s just a coincidence. It has to be. “Don’t mind me.”

Trey gazes at him, then smiles knowingly. His bespectacled eyes move past Riddle to glance in the direction of the counter of the cake shop. “Turn around.”

“What?” Riddle’s confused, but he obeys anyway. He turns in his seat to look where Trey’s looking.

There’s a tall person standing behind the counter, handing a cake box to an old lady at the front of the line. From this angle, Riddle can’t see their face, but tousled hair the color of seafoam immediately catches his attention, particularly with how a dark strand hangs down the right side of their head.

Then they turn around.

Riddle drops his fork.

“Floyd-kun.”

Floyd looks up from inspecting the cakes in the display and meets eyes with Trey’s father, who’s holding a brown envelope in his hand. He stands straight up. “Yeah?”

“Your pay,” the elder Clover smiles. “You’ve been a huge help these past two weeks, and you’ve exceeded all of our expectations. Keep it up.”

“Ah!” Floyd’s eyes light up, and he takes the envelope from him. “Thanks, Sea Turtle Dad~”

After the older man leaves, the merman opens the envelope and peeks inside, laughing giddily to himself when he sees the payslip inside. It’s his first pay since he started working here, so he’s especially excited.

“You have some nerve being here all day without coming over to say hi, Floyd.”

Floyd looks up and sees none other than Riddle standing on the other side of the counter and gazing up at him with a neutral expression. Fixing him with a cool expression of his own and stuffing the envelope into his back pocket, he speaks with an uncharacteristically level tone, “We’re closed, sir. I must ask you to leave.”

Riddle doesn’t react.

Floyd pouts, immediately dropping the act. “C’mon, you’re not impressed? That’s my best impression of Sea Turtle kicking customers out.”

Riddle rolls his eyes. “Unfortunately for you, he’s my oldest friend, so he allows me to stay past business hours.”

“Boo.”

Neither of them speaks for a few seconds.

“Thank you for the cake today.”

“Hm? Oh, it was nothing,” Floyd waves it off. “I heard you were coming today, and I remembered you like strawberries, so…”

Riddle nods, and the conversation dies yet again. He feels pretty awkward, and despite Floyd’s supposedly easygoing appearance, he’s sure he feels it, too. It’s like there’s an invisible barrier between them, where neither of them really know how to address each other naturally without talking about… the last time they saw each other. Would Floyd even be okay with him mentioning what happened?

He decides he’d rather exhaust all other options before resorting to that. “I didn’t expect to see you working here now.”

“Azul wants me to pay him back for what happened. ‘Reimburse my hospital bill tenfold!’” Floyd explains, adding a shrill falsetto to his voice when imitating the octopus. “He said I had to earn the money on my own, so I couldn’t just ask Mom and Dad for it. Jade was the one who asked Sea Turtle, since I’m a good cook and all.”

Riddle sighs. That’s definitely the Azul Ashengrotto he knows. Still, hearing that is somewhat relieving. “So… the two of you are okay?”

“We… we are.” A slight change comes over Floyd’s expression, and his smile suddenly looks a lot softer. It only lasts for a second, however, before the borderline annoying grin returns. Riddle isn’t sure how to feel about that. “He’s still making me do all this, though. It’s like he hasn’t forgiven me, even though he told me he has? I dunno, he’s sending mixed signals. He’s such a pain.”

“I think the fact he’s making you do this is a sign that you and he are back to normal, actually,” Riddle remarks dryly.

“Heh, maybe. What about you, though?” Floyd suddenly redirects the focus of their chat to him. Probably because the mention of Azul hits too close to the topic they’re both apparently treating like a taboo. “What have you been up to?”

Riddle’s surprised he cares enough to ask, even if there may be ulterior motives behind it. Yet another thing about all of this that unsettles him, though he wishes it doesn’t. Mainly because he isn’t sure why. “I’ve been back at NRC lately. I’m interning under Crewel-sensei.”

“Whaaat, Striped Beakfish-sensei? The same one who treated all of us like dogs?” Floyd frowns at the memory. “Why would you do that? It’s not like he’s a doctor or anything.”

Of course that’s what he says. It’s not like he knows the context behind this arrangement.

“I’m… thinking that I may not be a doctor, after all,” Riddle begins slowly. He tries not to think about the part where he still has yet to tell his mother. “I don’t want to let all my medical knowledge go to waste, so I’m trying to find something that’s still somewhat related, and… alchemy focuses on things like that, too. That’s why I sought him out.”

Heh, look at him, informing Floyd of his current circumstances so easily. If only he can be this way during the inevitable discussion with his family.

“Oh, so you finally figured things out for yourself?” Floyd asks. “That’s great, **_Riddle_**.”

It’s not the first time Riddle hears Floyd call him by his real name, and usually, he finds that he doesn’t mind a bit. Right now, though… the unpleasant feeling in his gut is so intense, he can’t hold back a grimace. Suddenly, he understands why. Why the past few minutes have been so uncomfortable for him to bear through.

He hates this.

“I should head back before it gets too dark, or else Jade will freak out,” Floyd announces, seemingly not noticing Riddle’s sour demeanor. “Bye.”

He turns to head to the backroom, but he’s only able to take a couple of steps before Riddle rushes around the counter and grabs him by the wrist.

“No,” Riddle hisses before he can stop himself. “This entire talk has just been us dancing around each other, and I can’t take it anymore, so allow me to say this just once: What happened last year is no reason for you to build a wall between you and me. You don’t have to ask about my life or pretend that everything is the same as it was a few years ago or… or call me by my real name like you’re afraid to make a fool out of yourself in front of me. And you _don’t_ have to avoid talking to me about that night, because it’s not going to make me forget about it.”

Because in the end, that’s what’s so off about right now. They’re both running from addressing something that needs to be addressed, and Floyd’s even going as far as to act as if the last time they met, he didn’t appear before Riddle at his most vulnerable. And as upsetting as the circumstances were, that very night was the night Riddle saw Floyd as something other than a volatile, oblivious, occasionally violent individual who never had to deal with any problems. But now, he’s back to…

...No, he’s not even back to how he was before. He’s much more guarded now, like he’s inserting some form of distance between him and Riddle. Like Riddle is just another customer at the cake shop. Like Riddle isn’t someone who’s seen him at his lowest. Like _he_ isn’t someone who’s seen _Riddle_ at his lowest.

And there’s no way in hell that he’s going to get away with that.

When Floyd doesn’t respond, doesn’t turn around, doesn’t pull his arm away, Riddle deflates, all of his spontaneous determination evaporating as quickly as it came. He releases Floyd from his grip and takes a step back.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles, staring down at his feet. “I don’t want to force you. You don’t have to talk about something if you don’t want to…”

He would have continued, but he feels something cool placed on the top of his head, and he looks up. Floyd, having finally turned to face him with a small smile, has his fingers in Riddle’s hair, running them through his crimson locks. “You’re suddenly so worried about me, Goldfish,” he says with a gentleness that Riddle’s never heard from him before. “It’s unlike you.”

“Excuse me?” Riddle huffs in irritation, but he makes no effort to slap Floyd’s hand away. “Did you think I wouldn’t be worried? Don’t be a fool.”

Jade did keep his promise and tell him months ago that Floyd would be okay, but it wasn’t like that assurance alone was enough to quell his concerns. Before today, he was left in limbo, wondering from time to time about Floyd’s status, unable to see how he was doing for himself. Perhaps it all really was an overreaction on his part, but can anyone blame him? He used to wish desperately that Floyd would take things more seriously, but now… after several years of seeing what Floyd’s like when he _is_ serious, he finds that lighthearted Floyd is the best version of Floyd there can be, after all.

And ultimately, that’s the person Riddle wants to see again. Not the person who ignored his problems and let them fester. Not the person who assaulted his friend in the midst of an episode. Not the person who just now tried to treat him like a mere stranger.

“Thanks.”

Riddle’s so deep in his thoughts that he almost doesn’t catch that. “Don’t misunderstand this as permission to bother me like you did back in school,” is all he grumbles.

Floyd only laughs and presses his palm down more firmly on Riddle’s head. “Did you get smaller?”

“I will seriously end you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something about me when it comes to writing is that a lot of the times, I just get this one scenario stuck in my head, and before I know it, I'm coming up with an entire plot revolving around that scenario, just so I could write about it eventually.
> 
> here, that scenario was floyd using his cooking skills to branch out into baking and work at trey's cake shop.
> 
> that being said however I have no idea what the hell this chapter is lol I just wrote what I felt like writing and hopefully it's not terrible ayyyyy


	8. 23.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “ ** _Riddle_**?”
> 
> Hearing his real name shakes him out of his whirling thoughts just enough to see a concerned Floyd crouching next to him. The closing of distance prompts his face to heat up even more, if that’s even possible.

Riddle’s final year at medical school comes and goes in a way that the previous years did not. Having finished most of his required courses already, he spends the remainder of his time a lot more relaxed than he was before, which means that he has a lot more free time on his hands to do whatever he wishes. When he isn’t at NRC studying under Crewel, he’s at home reading a good book or visiting the cake shop to see Trey and Che’nya…

...and Floyd.

Having Floyd as a regular part of Riddle’s life again isn’t something the latter saw coming until it already happened. At first, it felt odd entering the shop and seeing someone other than Trey greet him first thing, but he’s never thought of it as a negative change necessarily. There’s something about how, every time, Floyd notices him standing by the door, grins ear to ear, and calls out, “Goldfish~!” that leaves him feeling something akin to fond exasperation. As annoying as it is to see other customers turn their confused heads at the silly nickname, he can’t bring himself to be mad like he used to.

Because whenever Floyd breaks out into that smile, he lights up the entire room.

His cakes aren’t anything to scoff at, either. He’s often busy helping the Clover family with orders, yet he always manages to find the time to give Riddle a slice reserved just for him. Most of the time, it’s another strawberry shortcake, but occasionally, he’ll surprise him with a different flavor—red velvet, tiramisu, chocolate, vanilla… all of which carry a unique taste that leaves Riddle craving more.

Except for this one time Floyd decided to play a prank and give him a mysterious, black cake that turned out to have octopus ink as its main ingredient. A crime worthy of decapitation, in Riddle’s eyes, but it was _just_ funny enough for him to grant him mercy. Also, the marble cake he received afterwards to make up for it was pretty good, so it wasn’t like he was deprived of anything.

There’s something about Floyd’s presence nowadays that makes Riddle’s day just a little bit better each and every time. Funny how the person whom he considered the most irritating organism on the planet years ago now brightens up his life… Sometimes, he wonders how that happened. When did his opinion of him start to sway? During their third year at NRC when he collapsed on the grass? That night by the beach? He doesn’t know. No matter how many times he runs their shared memories through his head, he doesn’t become any closer to knowing.

All he knows is that he and the rest of the cake shop are where he’s at his happiest. And after the events of today, all he yearns for is happiness.

“Goldfish?”

Riddle pulls himself together and looks up at Floyd from his seat at the table, his strawberry cake sitting untouched in front of him. The taller man is gazing back down at him, heterochromatic eyes piercing right into his. “Yes?”

“It’s really late now.” Floyd nods towards the window, where the only thing visible is the night. “Shouldn’t you leave? I know you like to stay, but even Sea Turtle thinks you need to go.”

Ah… Riddle seriously lost track of how long he’s been here. He shouldn’t keep Trey and his family from closing up shop. “Sorry,” he mutters. “Can you give me a to-go box for this cake?”

Floyd frowns, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead of doing as asked, he sits down in the chair on the other side of the table, still staring at Riddle.

“What?” the redhead grumbles, fidgeting a little.

“You’re sad,” Floyd replies plainly. “It’s really obvious. You’re like an open book with your feelings.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you of all people.”

“You’re not denying it.”

Riddle avoids eye contact. His mind has been wandering all over the place these past few hours to avoid thinking about the current issue that plagues him. “It’s not really that big of a deal.”

“C’mon, Goldfish. Even when you’re in a bad mood, you still eat.” Floyd gestures at the cake in between them. “Either it’s a huge deal, or you hate strawberries now.”

Riddle flinches. “I’m just not hungry…”

His stomach, choosing to betray him at this very moment, growls loudly.

“...Did you even eat lunch?” Floyd inquires. “Honestly, Goldfish, you have to eat more, or—”

“—or I won’t get any bigger. Yeah, I know. I’ve only heard you say that a billion times,” Riddle snaps before he can stop himself. “But guess what? I’m _twenty-three_. I’m not _going_ to get any bigger at this point, and you’ll just have to _deal with that_.”

Floyd’s eyes widen at the outburst, clearly not having expected this sort of reaction. Even though he doesn’t really seem peeved or even hurt by his words, Riddle still deflates and hangs his head.

“Sorry,” he sighs. “That was uncalled for.”

“Ehhh, people have said way worse things to me before. It’s not a big deal.” Floyd picks up the fork on the side of the plate and cuts a chunk out of the cake. As he raises the piece to his lips, he adds, “It’s not like I can force you to tell me what’s wrong.”

Riddle watches him eat, taking notice of the way he chews slowly. It’s like he’s savoring every little nuance in the texture and flavor, like he’s a critic of his own creation, searching for any potential points on which he can improve. Yet somehow, he still looks as if he’s merely staring off into space, what with the fork dangling from his hand and his eyes looking almost hollow.

He looks at peace. He looks like a proper adult who’s resting after a long day at work.

“Am I childish?” Riddle blurts out.

Floyd almost chokes on his cake. “You’re… what?” he manages with his mouth still full.

Riddle chooses to ignore the lack of etiquette for once. “Am I childish?” he repeats, gazing down at his interlocked fingers. “Physically, I may be an adult, but—”

Floyd swallows his bite and interrupts, “Physically, you look like you haven’t finished growing.”

“Floyd, I’m being serious.” When he doesn’t hear a retort, Riddle continues, “Crewel-sensei offered me a job yesterday. He said there’s a vacant position among the alchemy teachers, and he’s already run it through with the Headmaster…”

“Isn’t that good for you, though? I don’t get why you’re so down.”

“There’s more. I…” Riddle stiffens at the memory, feeling a fresh mix of indignance and guilt wash over him. “Since this was so significant, I decided to… finally tell my mother about what I’ve been doing.”

Floyd’s content expression immediately drops in favor of a scowl.

“We had been getting along so well recently,” Riddle whispers, still remembering the words hurled at him on the phone earlier. “I had thought she had finally recognized me as my own person, but… she didn’t take it well. She started badgering me, asking why I hadn’t been spending my time applying to local hospitals instead. I stood up for myself in return, and then it escalated into a full-on argument, and… she called me selfish and childish for not thinking of my family.”

“Ughhhhh,” Floyd moans, leaning back in his chair impatiently. “That’s the worst.”

“I hung up on her.” Riddle remembers how spitefully satisfying it was to slam the receiver down, but now, all he feels is remorse. It was his first time fighting back this hard, and he can’t help but wonder if he overdid it. “As upset as I am with her, I can’t help but feel bad… Maybe I should have told her sooner.”

“Not really. She shoulda tried to understand why you kept it a secret. It’s sorta her fault in the first place,” Floyd states matter-of-factly, glancing up at the ceiling. “If she wasn’t so annoying all the time, then you wouldn’t have hidden things from her.”

He has a point. Still, Riddle can’t help but argue, “That doesn’t change the fact that I handled her reaction like a child.” In a way, he proved her last words to him right. He is childish. “I feel like I should have taken the high road.”

“You’re too straight-laced, Goldfish. Sometimes, people just don’t ‘take the high road,’ and that’s fine.”

Riddle finally looks up from the surface of the table. “What would you do, if you were me?” he can’t help but ask.

“Cut her out of my life.”

Riddle grimaces. “That’s… extreme.”

“Don’t care~” Floyd sits up straight and places the fork back onto the plate. As he does so, Riddle takes note of the small bandages wrapped around the bases of his index and middle fingers. “Extreme people warrant extreme measures. Control my life like that, and you’re dead to me.”

Riddle isn’t surprised. Floyd’s a free spirit, after all; he may have calmed down enough during the past two years to be able to work a full-time job where he’s ordered around all day, but he’s still Floyd. It’s just a fundamental part of who he is.

“Not saying that you have to listen to me,” Floyd continues when Riddle doesn’t say anything back. “She’s your mom, not mine.”

Riddle nods. “I know.” He can’t help but laugh a little. “I feel like I’m back on that beach again. You were giving me advice about her then, too.” Unbeknownst to him at the time, Floyd was going through his own hardships, too. He wonders if he could ever be like him and get on with his life. Look at me. I’m still complaining to you about the same thing after so many years, while you went through a full recovery. Compared to you… I’m rather pathetic.”

“Recovery?” Floyd tilts his head at him. “From what?”

Riddle blinks at him. “You know… your illness.” What else could he be referring to? “The thing that was ‘wrong’ with you.”

Floyd stares at him. And stares at him. And stares at him. His expression is unreadable, displaying zero emotion. Nevertheless, Riddle can sense _something_ lingering behind those eyes of his, something that isn’t necessarily unpleasant but still something very, very peculiar. Finally, he speaks, sounding weirdly calm, “Did someone tell you that I recovered?”

Riddle feels his eyebrows furrow. “What do you mean?”

He doesn’t get his answer because Trey chooses that moment to stick his head out from the backroom. “What are you two doing? We’re about to turn off all the lights,” he calls out to them. “Riddle, I really don’t want to kick you out, but it’s almost nine. I know you live farther away, and I don’t want you walking home too late at night.”

“Sorry…” Riddle mumbles. He shouldn’t hold Floyd or Trey back like this. It would be selfish of him to do so. “I’ll leave—”

“Wait,” Floyd interrupts, standing up before Riddle can have a chance to do so himself. “You’re hungry, right? Wanna have dinner at my place?”

“...Huh?” Riddle gapes up dumbly at him once the sudden offer sinks in.

“I’m about to go, too, and I’m in the mood to cook something.” This so-called explanation does nothing to quell Riddle’s confusion. “He can stay for five more minutes, right, Sea Turtle? We’ll leave together.”

“Hm? Sure, I don’t mind.”

“What?” Now it’s Trey’s turn to be gawked at. “Are… are you both forgetting something? I can’t go into the Coral Sea without a potion.”

Floyd laughs, and Trey snorts.

...There’s something Riddle doesn’t know, is there?

“...You live here now?”

“Mhm~”

When Riddle first heard that Floyd doesn’t live with his family anymore, he couldn’t really believe it. He _still_ can’t really believe it, even though he’s standing right here in the middle of his apartment. How was he never told about this?

“It never came up,” Floyd says, and Riddle realizes that he accidentally asked his question out loud. “But yeah, I moved out months ago. After I paid Azul back, I started saving up, and I found this place.”

“I thought you were still paying him back.”

Floyd pouts. “Hey, how long do you think he was in the hospital? Actually, no, how little do you think I get paid? That’s mean, Goldfish. To Sea Turtle _and_ me.”

“I-it’s not that, it’s just…” Riddle trails off. It’s just that he assumed Floyd would have left the minute he fulfilled his debt—gone back to the ocean to resume the life he had before he started his job as a baker. Is there another reason for him to stay? “It’s just that I misunderstood your situation. That’s all.”

“Hehe, don’t worry about it, I’m only messing with you~” Floyd makes his way to the next room over, presumably the kitchen. “Feel free to do whatever while you wait. Food shouldn’t take too long~”

With that, Riddle’s left alone, standing in the living room of the apartment. He begins scanning the area, taking note of the plush carpet flooring beneath his feet and the surrounding furniture. To his left is a light grey couch that faces a medium-sized television mounted on the wall, to his right is a rectangular dining table with four chairs surrounding all four sides… Behind it is a door. He walks over and opens it, revealing a storage space full of miscellaneous items like a vacuum, a broom, unused trash bags—Wait, are those knee pads and a helmet? Now that he thinks about it, he remembers Floyd having an interest in parkour as a teenager. Could that pastime have lasted into his adult years?

Since there’s no door separating the kitchen from the living room, he can easily hear the chopping of ingredients from where he’s standing. On the right side of the empty doorway is another door, which he has a feeling leads to the bedroom. A quick look proves that hunch right.

It’s a cozy, little room with walls painted light blue and a queen-sized bed located in the far corner. There’s yet another door right next to the bed, left just ajar enough to show part of a bathtub. Clearly, that’s supposed to be the bathroom.

Riddle takes a step further inside, his curiosity piqued. What else is here? A closet with a sliding door on the opposite side of the room. A bedside table with a lamp and a… Polaroid camera… on top? Unlike with the parkour gear, he doesn’t remember Floyd ever being interested in photography.

As he turns, something catches the corner of his eye, and he glances up at the area of the wall across the bed. There, he spots a long piece of string fastened with push pins and a row of Polaroids hanging from it. When he approaches to take a closer look, he sees that the photos are selfies taken by Floyd, all of which have someone else featured next to or behind him. Riddle instantly singles out the one with Trey, who’s smiling behind Floyd’s head and holding a scrumptious-looking cake in one hand. It’s a picture that was clearly taken in the kitchen of the cake shop.

Next to that one are individual photos of every member of Trey’s family, from his siblings to his parents. There are also ones with customers in them like Che’nya and even Ace and Deuce, who have begun frequenting the shop themselves recently. Riddle can’t help but chuckle a little at how obviously scared and confused those two look despite the huge grins plastered on their faces, especially in comparison to Floyd’s genuine joy. As he continues going through the row of pictures, he realizes that the vast majority of them were taken at work, with the only exception being the one at the very end: a photo of Floyd, Jade, and Azul sitting on the couch from earlier, surrounded by large cardboard boxes. Was this from move-in day or something?

Floyd’s smiling so happily in all of these, almost like he’s trying to make up for those few sorrowful years. Just from these snapshots alone, it’s impossible to tell what he’s been through.

_“Did someone tell you that I recovered?”_

Riddle thinks back to those words from earlier as he leaves the bedroom and enters the kitchen, where Floyd is sautéing something in a skillet, moving to stand beside him. “What are you making?”

“Shrimp fried rice,” Floyd replies with a sideways glance. “That okay? I know it’s not the fanciest.”

Riddle nods his head yes. He understands if Floyd doesn’t want to go all out after baking so many cakes all day. Watching him effortlessly toss the rice up in the air and catch it with the pan, he remarks, “I never took you for the photographer type.”

Floyd seems confused for a moment, but his expression soon lights up with clarity. “Oh, you saw those? I’m not, really. Dad gave me that camera when I moved out.” He leans over to inspect the condition of the shrimp. “I only snap pics because it helps me.”

“How so?”

“It reminds me that everything around me is real,” Floyd explains as he turns off the stove and grabs one of the plates beside him. “They act as proof that everyone’s there with me, and I’m there with them. I hung them up where they are so they’re the first thing I see every day.”

Riddle is taken aback, unable to put words together as Floyd loads a portion of the food onto the plate and sets it back down. He finally finds his voice again after a few seconds of putting the pieces together. “So what you’re saying is… you’re still sick?”

“Pretty much,” Floyd answers bluntly, picking up a second plate. He goes on with the same nonchalance one would have when chatting about the weather, “I still get weird all the time. Sometimes, it happens at home, and I just tough it out until it’s over. Sometimes, it happens at work, and I accidentally cut myself with a knife or something.”

Riddle’s eyes trail down to the bandages he noticed on Floyd’s fingers earlier. Is that the reason for those? “Does Trey know?”

“Not really. He might have seen me do something weird at some point, though. I dunno, I don’t really talk about it to people who weren’t there at the time.”

“ _I_ was there at the time, and this is the first I’m hearing about you still being this way,” Riddle contends, though his tone isn’t angry. “I thought you got better.”

“I _did_ get better. Just not completely.” Floyd takes off his apron and walks out of the kitchen, a plate full of rice in hand. “I don’t know when it’ll go away. Could take months or even years. For now, though, I just have to watch myself, so I don’t get stuck in my head and do something stupid. That other plate’s yours, by the way.”

He leaves and disappears behind the wall, leaving a speechless Riddle standing alone in the kitchen. After a few seconds of stillness, Floyd pokes his head back out.

“Hey, you coming?”

“You know,” Riddle begins after they finish eating, “you’re pretty admirable, Floyd.”

“Hm, am I~?” Floyd stops gazing at the ceiling long enough to redirect his attention to his companion, who has spent the entire dinner eating in silence. “How so?”

Riddle stares down at the empty plate in front of him, tapping it with his spoon. His other arm has its elbow propped up on the table and its hand holding his head. “You sunk to a very low point in your life, but now you’re here, with good company and a stable job. I feel like that’s something that requires a lot of resilience on your part.”

Floyd hums a little. “Thanks. And you’re a proper adult. You know, in case you’re still hung up over what your mom said.”

Oh, that. Honestly, Riddle wasn’t really thinking about that anymore. Despite being so upset at the cake shop, he now finds it silly that he was so hung up over her words. He should really learn to not let her get to him like that. “I need to stop listening to her.”

“You should,” Floyd agrees in a heartbeat, glowering slightly. “Screw what she thinks. You’re the most mature person I know. Even back in school, you were always the one who tried to keep the rest of us in line.”

“I don’t know about that. There were times when I’d do something regrettable,” Riddle mutters, thinking back to all the times he went overboard. Between his infamous temper and his faults as Dorm Head, he wasn’t really that much better than all the rest… Wait. Realizing something, he laughs. “I never thought I’d hear Floyd Leech praise me for trying to be responsible. I’m sure the you from six years ago would’ve just called me boring.”

Floyd makes a face. “Ehhh, what kinda person do you think I am nowadays? Some stability is nice, as long as you don’t overdo it.” He pauses, then adds with a soft smile, “I didn’t know how important stability was to me till it all crashed down on me, so…”

Right, there’s that. He needs something that grounds him.

“Besides, I never thought you were boring.”

“Really?” Riddle looks at him quizzically. “A lot of the other students said I was.” He still remembers the various whispers behind his back.

“Huuuh? No way, you were super interesting. If you were boring to me, I wouldn’t have had such a massive crush on you.”

Riddle immediately starts choking, even though he has nothing in his mouth.

“Eh, Goldfish?! What’s wrong?!” Floyd, now alert, practically leaps out of his seat. “Are you okay?! Do you need water?!”

“N-no, no! I’m fine!” Riddle rasps, grabbing him by the sleeve to stop him from bolting back into the kitchen. “Just—you—what?! You had a _what_ on me?!”

He heard wrong. _He has to have heard wrong._

Floyd tilts his head in puzzlement. “A crush?”

Or not.

By now, Riddle’s face is the same color as his hair, yet with none of the rage that usually comes along with it. _Floyd liked him back then?_ He tries to think back to their NRC days for any potential signs. The eel was always coming over to pester him and make his time on campus a living hell… but was he? Back then, Riddle always thought of it as Floyd wanting nothing more than to torment him, but could it have been that he just wanted to spend time with him? Now that he thinks about it, there were occasionally times that their interactions weren’t totally unpleasant, like that one time at the library… Not that Floyd didn’t always go back to teasing him every single time. But did Riddle seriously misconstrue his feelings for this many years?

What does Riddle think of Floyd?

The teenage version of him would have undoubtedly labeled him a nuisance and a pest. Does that still apply, however? Obviously not. They’ve both grown up so much in their own ways, and now they’re even… friends? _Are_ they friends? By every definition of the word, they are. They see each other often, and their time together is time well spent. They don’t go on any outings, but still! They’re friends!

...But is that all that Riddle wants?

“ ** _Riddle_**?”

Hearing his real name shakes him out of his whirling thoughts just enough to see a concerned Floyd crouching next to him. The closing of distance prompts his face to heat up even more, if that’s even possible. How inane of him to let one little confession do him in like this.

Floyd presses a hand against Riddle’s forehead and frowns. “You’re really warm. Do you feel weird anywhere?”

Maybe it’s just the lighting, but now that he’s up close, he’s actually pretty good-looking. His skin is clear and smooth, his face is narrow with a defined jawline, his olive and gold eyes gleam so brightly that it feels like they can pierce through everything they focus on… Riddle never really noticed until now. Or maybe he did and merely chose to stash it away in his subconscious.

“Okay, **_Riddle_** , seriously.” Floyd, growing more and more worried by the second, starts snapping his fingers in front of his face in an attempt to get his attention. “It’s kinda creepy how you’re staring at me while looking like that. Do I need to take you to the hospital or something—”

“There’s an aquarium that recently opened up on the other side of town.”

Floyd freezes mid-snap, clearly not having expected that. “Wha?”

Riddle clears his throat and slaps both of his cheeks as if that’ll somehow make his blush disappear. “Che’nya went with his family the other day and really enjoyed himself. And since you’re probably missing the ocean and all…” He hesitates, but ultimately chooses to persist, “Maybe you and I could go together. Without Trey or… or anyone else.”

He feels so stupid. Just because Floyd liked him that way back then doesn’t mean he still does. There’s a good chance he’s years too late at this point, but… he should at least try. He gets the sense that this isn’t an opportunity that’s going to come again any time soon.

Floyd’s arm drops to his side, but he doesn’t react any further than that at first. Just as Riddle begins to wonder if he may have overstepped his boundaries, he beams. “I’d like that.”

Again, what does Riddle think of Floyd?

He still doesn’t know. He’s been so focused on his academics and his future that he’s never really given it much thought. Chances are that he does fancy him one way or another, but is he head over heels in love? He wouldn’t go that far. Not yet. Not when they haven’t been on a single date together.

But even so, when it’s time for him to go home, and Floyd offers to escort him there, he finds the sensation of his hand in his to be even lovelier than any cake he’s ever been served. He can only hope that he can continue to savor it—not just for tonight, but for many more months to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really wanted this chapter to portray floyd and riddle as a more levelheaded duo to show how much they've matured as adults during the last few chapters, but i also wasn't about to make them seem like totally different characters from their canon counterparts. i hope everything was a right balance and they don't come across as either too bland or too childish alksdjfklas


	9. 24.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mornings with Floyd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> with how short this is, this shouldn't have been this late, but I was dealing with anxiety and paranoia all week rip me anyway I hope you guys like it lol

On one particular morning, with the rising sun shining directly on his face from the window, Riddle stirs and cracks open an eye. He squints against the light and manages to peek at the clock sitting on his bedside table: _6:23 AM_. Ugh… Even for him, this is way too early. It’s been so long since he’s woken at this hour, having developed a habit this past year to only wake up sometime past seven. Since NRC classes don’t start until nine, he can afford to have a more merciful sleep schedule than the one he had during his medical school days. And hey, if he has the chance to relax more, he should take it, shouldn’t he?

Still, as much as he’d like to close his eyes again and fall back asleep, he knows he can’t; he’s never been particularly good at resuming sleep on a whim, and by the time he’d actually succeed, it would already be far past his actual wake-up time. So, despite how nice and cozy he feels under the covers, wearing a T-shirt that’s multiple sizes too big for him, he tries to get up…

...but the arm draped across his torso stops him from doing so. It holds on to him firmly, trapping him in a snug hold that he knows he can’t squirm out of.

“Floyd,” he sighs, his voice still somewhat groggy. “Release me.”

For the first few seconds, Floyd doesn’t respond, feigning being asleep. However, probably because he realizes Riddle isn’t buying it, he then pulls his body closer to his own, tightening his already strong grip. “Squeeeeeeeeeeeeze.”

“Do not squeeze me. I wish to get up.”

“Why~? It’s still so early,” Floyd whines, his hand slipping under the shirt Riddle has on to touch bare skin. “Stay in bed with me~”

Riddle sighs. “I would just like to take the chance to have some extra time getting ready for work. If you want to sleep in, you can.”

“But I don’t wanna sleep in.”

“Then get up with me.”

“Ehhh, but I don’t wanna do that either, though?” Floyd leans in close so that his mouth is right next to Riddle’s ear, his breath tickling his skin. “I kinda wanna continue last night, actually…” he purrs, his voice dropping to a lower register, and his sharp teeth grazing his lobe. “Don’t we both have enough time for one more round?”

How shameless. Riddle’s response is to grab the pillow out from under his own head and swat it in the direction of Floyd’s face. Although his back is turned towards him, he hears his boyfriend yelp at the hit and let go of him, quickly followed by a dull thud. When he peers over his shoulder, he can’t help but laugh a little at the sight of Floyd lying on the floor.

“It’s not funny…” Floyd grumbles, pouting at the clear rejection. “Get a bigger bed…”

“Don’t be a drama queen. I didn’t hit you that hard.” Putting the pillow back where it originally was, Riddle pushes himself up to a sitting position and swings his legs over the edge. Once he’s up, he steps over the articles of clothing—both his and Floyd’s—strewn all over the floor and makes his way to the adjacent bathroom. “I’m going to bathe.”

“Can I at least have my shirt back?”

Without missing a beat, Riddle reaches past his thighs and grabs the hem, pulling the top over his head and tossing it over his shoulder.

“You just threw it in the completely wrong direction! Goldfiiiiish!”

It’s after Riddle is long out of the bathtub and drying his hair with his towel when the still sulking Floyd enters, wearing only pants and carrying the rest of his clothes under his arm. As he slings them over the grab bar on the wall, Riddle steps to the side to allow him to use the sink.

“You’re never up at this hour,” he remarks. One glance at the time tells him that it’s now a little past seven, and Trey’s cake shop doesn’t actually open until ten. Because of this, whenever Floyd spends the night, he always chooses to stay in bed for a bit longer, even during the times like today when he claims to not be in the mood for it. “Don’t tell me you’re turning into an early bird?”

“Never.” Floyd grabs the toothbrush next to Riddle’s, as well as the tube of toothpaste. “Some family friend’s getting married, and she ordered this really fancy wedding cake. I hafta get there extra early today to help make it, and then we hafta deliver it to the venue in the afternoon.”

Riddle moves to hang his towel up on the rack. His hair is still damp, but it’ll surely dry by the time he has to depart. “So you’ll be busy. That makes two of us.” It’s exam season at NRC, which is always a rough time for the teachers. When he first started, Crewel told him how hated it is amongst the faculty, and after experiencing a couple for himself, he has to agree. Perhaps nothing could ever beat the Octavinelle incident, but there’s still something about having to grade and rank everyone’s test scores that makes him and everyone else want to groan. “I’ll probably get home a bit later than usual, just so you know.”

Floyd only nods, since his mouth is full of toothpaste. Riddle notices that he’s brushing his teeth the same way Trey taught him to so long ago. He wonders if there’s a story behind that.

Out loud, he continues, “You get ready. I’m going to go make breakfast.”

“Tea?” Floyd manages to utter. He’s almost incomprehensible, but Riddle understands him nonetheless.

“Yes, I’ll brew some tea. It’ll be ready for you by the time you’re done.”

“So what time are you leaving?” is the first thing Riddle asks when Floyd, now freshly showered and fully dressed, ambles into the dining room.

Floyd sits down across from him at the table, where Riddle has already laid out his portion of breakfast for him. After picking up and taking a sip of the mug of black tea, he replies, “In a few minutes. I said I’d be there by eight.”

Riddle rolls his eyes. Unlike him, Floyd never gets ready ahead of time, preferring to do his morning routine only when he has to. “Are you really willing to risk being late to work? I worry about your procrastination habits sometimes.”

“It’s not my fault I have to get there so early just for one dumb cake,” Floyd complains. “Seriously, why do humans go through all this trouble just for some ceremony? I don’t get weddings. If people wanna stay together for the rest of their lives, can’t they do that without all this other bothersome stuff?”

“It’s a celebration of a new stage for the couple in question,” Riddle argues as Floyd picks up and starts eating his toast. “It’s something that deserves to be treated like the big deal that it is.” He pauses, then asks, “Do merfolk not do that?”

“Nope~” Floyd swallows his bite. “I mean, marriage _is_ a thing? But it’s more like two people just decide if they wanna mate for life, and they go apply for it or whatever it is they have to do. We don’t do all the things humans do.”

Riddle sips his tea. “I see.”

That’s interesting. He often hears tidbits about how different the culture of the sea is from that of the land, and they never fail to intrigue him. He’s often surprised at how the things that come across as so natural to him may not necessarily be the same way for someone like Floyd.

“So I guess you like weddings?”

“Hm?” His grey eyes glance over at Floyd. “That’s an odd question. I can’t really answer that when the only ‘experience’ I’ve had is with the ghost who fell in love with Shroud-senpai, but that obviously doesn’t count.”

“Well, you just called them a big deal.” Floyd traces the rim of his mug with his index finger. “That sorta sounds like you like ‘em.”

“I… suppose I would like to celebrate my marriage, if given the chance?” Riddle looks up at the ceiling in thought. “It’s not really something I’ve thought about, but… yes, I’d like to have a wedding someday.”

Floyd hums like he’s considering something. “Really? I don’t really get it, but… maybe it’s just because I don’t know much about it myself.”

A random memory pops up in Riddle’s mind, and he grins. “Your lack of enthusiasm explains why you never tried with Eliza back then…”

“She was annoying, and her slap really hurt,” Floyd retorts. “But if it was someone I actually liked, then I wouldn’t have minded going through all that. It would’ve at least been fun that way.”

“Of course.” That just comes across as a given to Riddle. Who’d want to get married to someone they didn’t have any feelings for? As much as he’d like to continue this topic, one peek at the clock on the wall proves that to be a poor idea. “Shouldn’t you be leaving now? You’ll actually be late at this rate.”

“You’re kicking me out?” Despite his petulant words, Floyd stands with his toast still in his hand. “I’ll call you tonight.”

“Sure,” Riddle says as Floyd walks over to where he’s sitting to bend down and give him a peck on the lips. “No dilly-dallying. I better not hear from Trey that you messed up that cake.”

“Have a little faith in me,” Floyd smiles and stands up straight, taking another bite of his toast. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

It’s only when Riddle is alone in the room that he allows him to smile slightly, beginning to mull over the conversation they just had. Marriage… It isn’t really something that he’s thought about before. He’s always been too focused on his daily responsibilities to consider such things with care. He didn’t think about his own feelings for Floyd until that fateful night at his apartment, and he didn’t consider them to be an actual couple until the two of them properly discussed it. What will their next step be? One very obvious answer comes to mind, but it’s not like he can predict the future.

Whatever, he’s in no rush. He’s not going to push Floyd into anything.

He’s happy with the way they currently are.

“ ** _Riddle_**.”

Floyd’s voice brings him out of his thoughts, and he turns to look up at him in surprise. “I thought you left.”

The eel takes yet another bite of his toast. “I came back,” he nonchalantly says through the crumbs like it’s nothing.

“Did you forget something?” Riddle stands and brushes himself off. “If it’s in my room, I can go get it for you—”

“It’s not that,” Floyd interrupts, swallowing his food before going on. “I just had a question, and I didn’t feel like waiting.”

Riddle raises a questioning eyebrow at him. “Oh?”

“Yeah. Wanna get married?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> from the looks of it, I think most/all people who ship this pairing agree that floyd would just pop the question on impulse with no planning on his part whatsoever lol I love y'all
> 
> hope you guys don't mind that this chapter isn't nearly as long as the last few! since most of the action has already taken place, I'm winding down, and all there is left is the final chapter (and I'm sure you guys already know what that's gonna be about)
> 
> oh and just a question, but would you guys be down if I hypothetically turned this universe into its own series on ao3? I got some ideas floating around in my head, including but not limited to:  
> -ten years with adeuce  
> -what floyd was up to during the year between The Reunion Incident and being hired at the clovers' cake shop  
> -oneshot focusing on jade's pov of ch 6  
> -other oneshots I guess? sorta like that chivalrousamour thing


	10. 25.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIVE. IT'S STILL VALENTINE'S DAY WHERE I LIVE. I'M NOT LATE.
> 
> this is the shortest chapter out of the ten but you know what? it works this way

“Owww.”

“Hold still.”

Floyd only starts to squirm more. “ _Owwwwwwww_ ,” he whines again, clearly not actually in any pain. He practically falls on top of Riddle with all his fidgeting. “You’re hurting me, Goldfish~”

Unimpressed, Riddle raises one eyebrow, but he continues to tie Floyd’s bow tie with skillful fingers. “I could put something far more unpleasant around your neck with my unique magic if I wanted to. Stop being a baby.”

“You know I don’t like being squeezed.”

“ _You_ said you’d wear a tie today, and you weren't wearing one earlier.” Once he ties the final knot tightly, Riddle steps back, admiring his handiwork. “I would hope you didn’t forget, given the occasion.”

“I didn’t forget. I just changed my mind,” Floyd mutters with a pout, standing up straight and fiddling with the unpleasant article of clothing. “But whatever. You get this for one hour, but I’m taking this off the second after.”

Riddle looks him up and down, taking in his entire outfit: a light grey suit jacket with matching trousers, a white button-up shirt underneath, and a dark blue cummerbund and bow tie to accentuate everything. For once, his hair is brushed and combed back to expose his forehead, his dark streak tucked neatly behind his ear.

He looks so good for someone who tends to act like he’s allergic to dressing formally, but Riddle opts to keep that thought to himself. Instead, all he does is smile widely.

“One hour is more than enough.”

“Ehhh, why are you saying that with that expression? Are you thinking something perverted~?” Floyd teases, his sullen expression giving way to a grin of his own. “Do you want me to strip—”

“Absolutely not!” Riddle slaps a gloved hand against the merman’s chest. “Remember where we are. Don’t be crude.”

Floyd grabs his arm before he can retract it. “You love it, though~” he practically singsongs, pressing Riddle’s hand against the area where his heart is, with his own right on top. “You hate it when I hold back.”

Riddle keeps silent as their fingers interlace together. He feels no need to respond to that assertion; he knows Floyd knows how true it is—that he would never not want Floyd at his most unfiltered and most natural. Instead, all he does is feel the steady thump of the heartbeat underneath his palm as silence overtakes the room.

Eventually, when he realizes Floyd isn’t releasing him, he speaks up, “Shouldn’t we be heading out right about now?” He can hear the upbeat music playing over the speakers and the chatter amidst the guests on the other side of the double doors a few feet away. “Everybody’s waiting for us to start the afterparty.”

Floyd pretends to think for a bit before he smiles and pulls Riddle close, holding his body against his. “Do we have to~? I wanna be alone with you a little bit longer.”

“We have plenty of time to be alone on our honeymoon.” Riddle’s voice is muffled from his face being pressed against Floyd’s torso. “We have guests right now.”

“Who cares? It’s not like this night’s about ‘em. Is it so wrong that I wanna be with my husband as much as possible?”

_Husband._

That’s right. That’s what Riddle is to Floyd now, and vice versa. It’s almost surreal hearing that label come out of his mouth and have it actually be true as of a few hours ago. After an entire year of calling each other fiancés, he almost can’t believe that they’ve now officially taken the next step. Even though they spent almost every waking moment of the past several months planning for the wedding, to have it actually occur feels almost unbelievable.

And if it feels like this now, the version of Riddle from ten years ago would surely have lost it if he knew what his future would hold. He can’t help but laugh at the thought. Somehow, Floyd went from the bane of his existence to being the love of his life. Funny how things can change over time.

“You know, you’re really giddy today,” Floyd remarks, gently pushing him away to look him in the eye. Resting his hands on the redhead’s shoulders, he adds, “You’re really happy, huh?”

“Obviously. We wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t, would we?” Riddle takes a step back to smooth out his crimson overcoat before grabbing Floyd’s hand. “Now, shall we go?”

Floyd laughs as he’s pulled towards the doors. “Only so I can show everyone you’re mine forever~”

They both grab a handle on either side of the double doors, but before they can swing them open, Riddle stops to look up at Floyd.

“I love you… Floyd Rosehearts.”

Floyd leans down to kiss him.

“And I love you, **_Riddle Leech_** ,” he murmurs against his lips. “And I’ll make sure the whole world knows.”

Then, the doors open.

And the venue immediately erupts into cheers.

_“Hey, it’s the newlyweds! Congrats~!”_

_“Wait, Kalim! Don’t get in their way!”_

_“‘Grats, Riddle-kun! Wanna take a selfie with me to celebrate?”_

_“Haha, give them a second, Cater! H-hey, Che’nya, put that wine back where you found it!”_

_“It’s just one bottle, Trey!”_

_“Congratulations, Rosehearts-senpai!”_

_“Ow! Deuce, stop being so loud! Congrats, Riddle-senpai!”_

_"Thank you, all of you. And Che'nya, you can have that."_

_"You're the best, Riddle!"_

_“What an enjoyable event this has been. It is a shame I was not in charge of it.”_

_“Oh my, Azul. Are you still a little teary-eyed from earlier?"_

_"Hehe, you don't have to hide it from us, you know~?"_

_"Both of you shut up."_

_"...Floyd?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"...Congratulations. At last, I am glad to see you truly happy.”_

_"...Thanks, Jade."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyy hello yeah I'm..... very sorry lol I never forgot about this fic, but the last chapters for some reason are always the toughest since they basically serve as a short epilogue to me and....... well that and a few mental issues took a toll on my muse. I hope this is satisfactory.
> 
> thank you all so much for sticking with me through my first twisted wonderland fic! I hope to write more for this fandom soon enough (aside from the two other ficlets that I posted while this thing was still in progress), and if things go well, I should be getting better and better at writing the characters and doing them justice! in the meantime, feel free to reach out to me wherever you can find me:  
> twitter: [bobaaddiict](http://twitter.com/bobaaddiict/)  
> tumblr: [bobaaddict](http://bobaaddict.tumblr.com/) (main) or [bobawritesaboutassholes](http://bobawritesaboutassholes.tumblr.com/) (writing sideblog currently under construction)
> 
> and with all of that out of the way..... allow me to conclude with a bunch of little fun facts and notes about this universe:
> 
> -though I ultimately left adult riddle and adult floyd’s appearances up to the imagination, I personally picture them looking about the same, except riddle now styles his hair the same way he did in ghost marriage in an attempt to look more like an adult, and floyd doesn’t wear his earring as often because he’s constantly moving about during his job (and this is pure self-indulgence but at one point I started imagining him as a tattoo enthusiast)
> 
> -riddle’s mother called him shortly after chapter 8 to apologize for her initial reaction to his career decisions. they have a strained relationship and he doesn’t exactly forgive her for everything, but he recognizes that she’s genuinely trying to change her ways so he’s giving her a chance
> 
> -azul and floyd were not on speaking terms for a good minute after The Incident (and it took even longer for azul to be comfortable being physically near floyd) and it took a lot of shit happening for them to finally go back to normal
> 
> -azul told floyd to pay him back ultimately because he was, in his own way, trying to encourage him to do something with his life. obviously he didn’t admit it but he may or may not have cried while yelling his head off at him because he’s a fucking baby inside
> 
> -it was really easy for floyd to pay azul back because he was discharged from the hospital on like…… the second day with no long-lasting injuries
> 
> -in this universe, deuce became the dorm head that succeeded riddle, since he’s more willing to be responsible for his dormmates than ace, who accepted being vice dorm head instead
> 
> -speaking of ace and deuce, they decided to see the clover family’s cake shop for themselves a couple years after they graduated and were immediately greeted with “CRAB!!!!! MACKEREL!!!!! :D” their reaction was to scream and run out, and floyd literally leapt over the counter, chased them down, and dragged them back in by their collars, hence why they’re so scared in that one polaroid
> 
> -che’nya first met floyd during the incident mentioned in chapter 7 when floyd stood up for trey’s sister. a lot of insults and threats were exchanged between floyd and that customer, and at one point, floyd even tells the man’s wife, who was standing nearby, that she can do better and doesn’t have to settle. che’nya witnessed the entire thing go down and thought it was the most hilarious thing and was even on the floor at one point
> 
> -che’nya and floyd are a disaster duo together and their combined power drives trey insane
> 
> -trey’s family is one big sea turtle family to floyd. he calls the clover parents “sea turtle dad” and “sea turtle mom,” and the various clover siblings are “sea turtle hatchling,” “sea turtle egg,” “baby sea turtle,” etc etc because I don’t think it’s ever been specified exactly how many sibs trey has lmao
> 
> -at one point, trey taught floyd The Clover Way Of Brushing Teeth. floyd thought it was troublesome but by then he had matured enough to eventually start listening
> 
> -part of the reason trey agreed to hire floyd on behalf of jade is that he’s low key still grateful for that one time they helped riddle in chapter 3. feels like he’s repaying the favor
> 
> -floyd travels through the warp in the rose kingdom alley to visit the coral sea at least once a week! his heart still belongs to the ocean even if he no longer lives in it
> 
> -crewel wouldn’t have agreed to let any student study under him, but he was okay with riddle because of how much of a model student he was. hypothetically speaking, if it had been floyd who had requested that of him…… lol
> 
> -crowley agreed to hire riddle to be a teacher because he’s oh so very kind~


End file.
